Magic is Might!
by D.M. Lover 21
Summary: When interesting circumstances cause Draco to accompany the golden trio on their quest for Horcruxes they know it will be a difficult journey. But what could be more difficult than defining the lines between love and hate?
1. The Journey Begins

**A/N: Hello! This is my newest full length fanfiction. I know the first chapter is a bit slow, but I promise it gets interesting after this! :D**

**Disclaimer: I don't own anything from J.K. Rowling's magical world of Harry Potter. (Spoiler Alert: I did incorporate a few aspects from the seventh book, however this book takes place directly after HBP).**

Chapter 1 – The Journey Begins

_The pit became filled with corpses and faceless people who held him back when he tried to escape. Then at one point just before dawn, he saw the face of one of the bodies. He vaguely recognized her, but could not figure out who it was until he awoke a few moments later. "Granger," he groaned quietly._

* * *

Hermione was crouched on her knees, sorting through her trunk. She heard four sharp knocks on her door before Harry and Ron entered making sure no one was around. They sat down across from her and her scattered belongings.

"Um, Hermione why are you packing for school," Ron asked, while looking at her textbooks and potions ingredients.

"I'm not," whispered Hermione, "your mum keeps checking on me, and if she knew that we weren't planning on going back to school she'd kill us. Anyway some of these books will be useful while hunting down the remaining Horcruxes."

Harry nodded as he eyed some of the titles: _Dark Arts for Dummies, Dueling 101, The Ultimate guide to Hexes and Defensive spells,_ and _Ancient Magic and Its Uses_ were among the books stacked neatly beside her trunk. "Mr. Weasley told us to tell you that he can take you to see your parents tomorrow," said Harry.

Hermione nodded and continued working, avoiding Harry's eyes, knowing that they were filled with pity. It was difficult enough to leave her parents, but erasing their memories of her was going to be excruciating. She placed two stacks of books in her trunk, followed by her clothes, paying more attention than was strictly necessary. She got rid of her old school robes, and replaced them with muggle clothing, which was more practical for their journey.

"Ron, Harry, come down here," called Mrs. Weasley. Both boys got up and went to the kitchen for their next chore. Hermione locked her trunk and shrunk it, before placing it into her purse. She had placed a spell on her purse to expand its space without changing its actual size. Hermione then stuck her hand beneath her bed and felt around, her hand closed around a smooth vial. She pulled it out her store of polyjuice potion. There were only a few uses left. She reached under her bed again and pulled out her wallet of muggle money, then some pieces of parchment.

She tapped the first piece of parchment and whispered, "revealio." Words appeared on the page, it revealed all the information they had on the Horcruxes. However it was not to Hermione's satisfaction. They only knew which Horcruxes they had destroyed, R.A.B was the last known person to have the locket, and other possible Horcruxes were: Hufflepuff's cup, Nagini, and something of Ravenclaw or Gryffindor. They assumed the seventh fragment of Voldemort's soul remained in his body.

Hermione frowned at the information before vanishing it and looking at the next parchment. These were her plans for their journey; she had been working on this all summer and was quite proud of it. Hermione knew they could not stay in one place too long, so she planned to spend some time camping in the woods, and some time staying at muggle hotels. She added her money and information into her handbag before closing it and storing it under her bed.

* * *

_Beep…Beep…Beep_. Hermione hit her hand over her alarm clock quickly, making sure she did not wake Ginny. It was one o'clock in the morning. She stepped out of bed and snuck out of her room. She crept down the many flights of stairs before she made it to the pantry. She snuck in and gathered some food. She knew they could not go shopping often while they were camping in the woods, so she grabbed some canned vegetables, soups, and other simple foods before heading back to her room and storing them in her purse. She crawled back under her blanket and fell back to sleep.

* * *

Harry, Ron and Hermione made their way down to breakfast cheerfully. Mr. Weasley was waiting for Hermione, so she ate her toast quickly before joining him outside, only pausing to bid good morning to the other Weasleys at the table.

"Hermione, are you ready?" Mr. Weasley asked, she nodded, "We are going to apparate to you parents house."

Hermione nodded again before apparating into her living room. Mr. Weasley arrived a moment later. He looked around keenly at the room. She went into the kitchen, as he inspected their television.

"Hi mum," said Hermione. "Is dad ready yet?"

"He'll be down in a moment sweetie, he's just getting the luggage," her mother replied. Her father came down the stairs carrying several suitcases. He then joined his wife at the kitchen table.

"Okay, you know that I'm leaving with Harry and Ron soon to help stop Voldemort," she began awkwardly, "and I think its best if we take you out of the country for now. Mr. Weasley and I found a house in Australia, so that's where we are going to take you." Her parents nodded, as they knew this already.

By this point Mr. Weasley had joined them. He grasped Mr. Granger's arm and they disappeared with a loud _crack_. Hermione left with her mother right after. They arrived at a small house overlooking a beach.

"It's lovely," exclaimed her mother after she had recovered from the side-along apparation. Hermione watched her parents sadly, knowing that she would have to erase their memories in a few minutes. They entered the house and Mr. Weasley unpacked magically before nodding at Hermione. She hugged each of her parents goodbye and took their memories. Mr. Weasley held her arm as they apparated, leading her to his office at the ministry. A lone tear slid down her face she wiped it quickly, but Mr. Weasley saw and smiled reassuringly at her, "Don't worry Hermione, once this is all over we can restore their memories."

Hermione nodded, "Thanks Mr. Weasley, but why did you bring me here?"

Mr. Weasley locked his door before turning to her, "I have access to the ministry archives, and there is a lot of information there you won't be able to find anywhere else." Hermione looked startled when he said this, and did not respond unsure of what to say. "Harry has already told us that Dumbledore left him a task before he died, I'm not sure what it is, but I want to help in the small ways that I can."

"Thanks Mr. Weasley," exclaimed Hermione, breathing a sigh of relief, "I've heard about the archives, there are millions of books there."

"Not just books, they have maps, blueprints, contracts and government documents. Just don't tell Molly." Mr. Weasley explained quietly as they left his office. He led her to an empty lift, which took them to the level before the department of mysteries. They exited the lift and headed down an empty corridor towards a large, glossy oak door.

Hermione entered first and gasped, she turned on the spot slowly taking in every section of the large room. She smiled to herself as she looked at the shelves full of books surrounding her.

"I have to go to a meeting now," he said quickly, "Meet me in my office in two hours, and here's your visitor's badge. Be careful Hermione, the ministry is no longer a safe place." He warned her before exiting swiftly.

Hermione attached the badge to her shirt absent-mindedly, making her way to a map of the archives. After examining it carefully she made her way to the first section she needed to visit. She loaded her arms with books on Horcruxes and the Dark Arts. She also found a book on dangerous creatures (which she would never show Hagrid), maps of the Wizarding areas in England, and blueprints of the ministry and Azkaban. She settled down at a desk and began making copies of the materials.

As Hermione was returning the maps and blueprints something caught her eye. Someone had placed a blueprint in the wrong section. Hermione frowned and pulled out the offensive paper. She looked it over and her eyes widened as she read the title _Malfoy Manor Official Blueprints_. She attempted to make a copy of it, like she had the other blueprints, but she was not able to. She subtly slipped the map into one of the other books before placing it in her bag.

"Hi Mr. Weasley," said Hermione brightly as she entered his office.

"Hello Hermione, did you find everything you need?" He asked, she nodded but did not give details because she knew she wasn't supposed to tell him about the Horcruxes. "I'm nearly done for today," he continued, "we can go home together in a few minutes."

By the time Hermione had gotten back to the burrow it was mid afternoon, and the boys were out playing quidditch. So she headed to her room to pack her final belongings. She added the thick pile of ministry leaflets to her purse before tucking it back under her bed.

She then got out some parchment and began the letter they planned to leave to the Weasleys the next night. Considering the letter's length it took her a very long time to complete. But Hermione found it very difficult to express her gratitude and tell them they were leaving. She realized this could be her last time communicating with them. When she finally finished, she looked the letter over.

_Dear Mr. and Mrs. Weasley,_

_Please do not worry about our absence, we are sure you know why we left and do not think it wise to write this reason in an unguarded letter. We are very thankful for your support and kindness during our time at The Burrow and during our past years together. Please forgive us for leaving without notice, but we knew we would not be able to leave any other way. Do not worry too much about us while we are gone. We'll see you again…_

_Hermione and Harry_

Hermione tied up the letter and attached it to Ron's separate letter and hid the package. She then made her way downstairs to help with dinner.

* * *

Hermione's door creaked open and Harry poked his head in. Hermione got out of bed quickly and quietly. Harry came in carrying Hedwig's cage and a scroll of parchment; Hermione looked at him curiously before grabbing her purse and their letters from beneath the bed. They left the room together and Hermione hurried downstairs, only stopping to leave the letters in the kitchen. They then exited the house and met Ron outside where he was waiting with two broomsticks.

Harry had strapped his and Ron's trunks to his Firebolt, they had shrunk them slightly to fit on the broom. Harry mounted his broom and prepared to kick off as Hermione climbed on behind Ron cautiously. They kicked off simultaneously, and rose into the night air.

* * *

**A/N: I Hope you liked the first chapter. Here is a little preview of chapter 2:**

_**"And I have saved the most important news for last," Voldemort hissed, "Harry Potter," hisses filled the room when this name was spoken, and Voldemort almost smiled, "is no longer under the protection of the Order of the Phoenix. **_


	2. Away From It All

**A/N: Hi everyone! Here is chapter 2, and Draco is introduced (sort of, he will play a bigger role soon I promise!). Anyway, enjoy this chapter! :D **

**Also thanks to Isabella120, mckenna burnett, and VikkiSuLuvzYew for the great reviews! I really appreciate your feedback, it's always nice to know what the readers do and don't like, plus it is great motivation for me to write more ;)**

**Disclaimer: My name doesn't start with J or end with Rowling, so I am pretty sure that I do not own Harry Potter.**

Chapter 2 – Away From It All

Hermione hugged Ron tighter as they began to descend. Her eyes were watering from the cold night air and her fingers were numb. As they descended further she could see her house more clearly. They landed in her front yard and hurried into the warm house. Hermione gave Ron and Harry their trunks.

"The guest bedroom is down the hall," she directed before heading to her bedroom.

Hermione woke at the crack of dawn and showered quickly. As she dried off she heard the shower downstairs start, signalling Harry's waking. She put on a short pink dress with black leggings and a pair of pink ballet flats. She frowned at her appearance in the mirror, but did not revert to her usual clothing. She then went downstairs to wake Ron.

To her surprise Ron and Harry were both awake and helping themselves to coffee in her kitchen. When she entered the room Ron looked her over, and choked on his coffee. "Hermione, are you wearing a dress?"

"Yes," she replied, "the death eaters are going to be looking for us, so it's best if we are in disguise."

"Yeah, but changing your clothes won't fool them," Harry said doubtfully.

"I know, so I'm going to use some appearance changing spells on all of us. Harry, you first," she said, excited to practise the charms she had learnt. She eyed him thoughtfully. "We'll have to hide your scar with you hair," she decided before waving her wand. Harry's hair turned light brown and grew enough to cover his forehead.

"And you can't wear your robes!" she exclaimed looking at them. She waved her wand again and transformed Harry's robes into a white t-shirt and jeans. "Harry, give me your glasses," Hermione demanded. Harry handed them to her and was given a pair a dark blue contacts which he put in with some difficulty. Hermione and Ron looked him over; he was almost unrecognizable - mission accomplished.

"Your turn Ron," said Hermione pulling him to his feet. She shortened his hair, turned it blonde and spiky. Then changed his robes into khaki shorts and a blue polo t-shirt. She completed his look with a pair of green contacts.

"Go pack the car while I change my appearance," she instructed. She looked in a mirror before changing her shoulder-length curls into long, pin-straight, blonde hair with bangs that brushed her forehead. She added light blue contacts and some lip gloss. Then she locked her house and headed for the car.

"Buckle up," called Hermione before starting the engine. She backed out of the driveway and onto a main road.

Ron looked around anxiously, he was slightly less confident in Hermione's choice of transportation. An hour later Hermione pulled into a deserted back parking lot near their hotel. The all exited the car and stretched their legs.

Hermione checked they were alone before shrinking the car and placing it into her trunk. She turned around and was about to lift her trunk when a thought hit her. "We can't go in carrying trunks, we'll attract too much attention!" she gasped in realization.

"Why can't we just shrink the trunks and conjure muggle luggage?" asked Ron.

"Good idea," Hermione said before shrinking their trunks and conjuring three muggle suitcases. "Come on, we can check-in now," Hermione said leading them into the hotel.

* * *

"Oh Arthur!" Mrs. Weasley sobbed clutching the letter tightly. "Our little boy - is gone, - who - knows if we'll ever – see - him again?" she said, gasping for breath.

"Don't worry Molly, they'll be home soon. Safe and sound," he said reassuringly.

"How do you know?" she sobbed. "How do you know they won't be caught, or killed? Or we could die, before they get back…" she burst into tears again.

"There, there dear, you have to keep yourself calm. Everything will be okay," Mr. Weasley replied soothingly. Her sobs decreased and he continued, "We'll have to tell the Order that they left."

She nodded, "I'll write to them now, and we should tell Bill, Charlie and Fred and George too."

Meanwhile Ginny had awoken to Hedwig's hooting. She grabbed the letter attached to the cage and read it quickly.

_Ginny,_

_I know you wanted to come with us on this…mission, and I seriously considered it, but I couldn't bear it if you were harmed on account of me. Please don't hold this against me. I want you to move on, because I don't want to hurt you any more than I already have. I can't be there to help you now, and I can't promise to be there for you in the future. One day you will find someone who will be able to support you and stand by you always._

_Thinking of You,_

_Harry_

_P.S. I have left Hedwig in your possession until I return. If I don't get back she is yours to keep. She was always fond of you._

Ginny read the letter several more times, not noticing the tears running down her cheeks. Hedwig landed on her shoulder and hooted softly. She stroked the bird's feathers absentmindedly, contemplating his letter. She wanted to be with him so badly, why couldn't he realize that she wanted to help him. He was always concerned about her safety, and now he forced her to stay home and worry about him.

* * *

Deathly white fingers clutched the window frame as Voldemort watched his followers appear.

"You called, my lord," Bellatrix said as she entered the room. She went to bow, but he grasped her arm before she could and pulled her to the window.

"No need for formalities Bella, it is just us," he whispered. He pulled her in front of him facing her to the window, resting his hands on her shoulders.

"You're quiet Bella, what troubles you?"

"I don't mean to pry my lord. But you called an urgent meeting today, which means something important has occurred," she responded cautiously.

"Indeed," he replied. "You are my most loyal subject Bella, so I will tell you. I have had a rather brilliant idea. My name, it requires a certain amount of respect. I have worked for many years to instil fear when people hear it. So I have decided to place an enchantment upon the name Voldemort, so those who dare speak it shall be severely punished."

"That is brilliant, my lord," exclaimed Bellatrix, "All of those filthy half-bloods will learn to respect you, like they should."

"I thought you would like it. However, that is not all, it has also been brought to my attention that Harry Potter is no longer residing with members of the Order of the Phoenix. Come," he commanded as he led her out of his study, before she could question him further.

* * *

Severus Snape walked briskly through the manor approaching the meeting room. He arrived just a moment before the dark lord, escaping the punishment of arriving late. He sat down next to the head of the table and searched the room. He noticed that the three Malfoys were sitting further down the table, situated between the members of the inner circle and the other death eaters. Draco's failure to murder Dumbledore had caused much harm to the family and Severus' influence barely managed to save their lives. Lucius had been broken out of Azkaban and was still being punished for his mistake. Severus nodded at him brusquely, but the man only grimaced in return.

The dark lord entered with Bellatrix and sat at the head of the table surveying his faithful death eaters. The room became deadly silent. "Welcome Death Eaters," he began. "I have called this meeting for three very important reasons. Firstly, I am pleased to say that our efforts in the ministry have paid off; we have secured Scridgemore under the Imperius curse. The ministry is now fully under our control." The room burst into applause and chatter.

"Ahh, but Lucius you do not seem enlightened by this news, are you not happy with our success?" The dark lord asked, aware of the man's lack of enthusiasm. The room became quiet as all eyes turned to Malfoy Senior.

"Of course I am happy with our success, my lord. This is a large step in our favor. With the minister under the Imperius curse, you will need someone trusted to control him. I would be honored to prove myself with such a position," Lucius answered obediently.

"I don't like failure Lucius. You failed me once. I will not allow you to fail me again. This job is too important to be played with, so I am giving it to Bella," he said icily.

"Thank you, my lord."

"Lucius, I advise you take a look around. One more blunder and you will not be sitting here. As for your son, I cannot blame his mistakes entirely on him. He learned from his inept father," Voldemort snapped. The other death eaters jeered, some even shot curses at the family. Voldemort watched contently before continuing with the meeting.

"Back to the meeting," called Voldemort sharply, "I have more important information to share with you. For several years the name Voldemort has not been spoken, but there are some who dare speak my name. To fix this problem I have placed an enchantment on my name that will track whomever uses it. Death eaters on guard will be alerted and transported to this person. You may torture them if they wish and then they will be sent to Azkaban unless they are of further use to me."

"And I have saved the most important news for last," Voldemort hissed, "Harry Potter," hisses filled the room when this name was spoken, and Voldemort almost smiled, "is no longer under the protection of the Order of the Phoenix. I want every Death Eater to be on the lookout for him, and I wish to be notified immediately if there is news regarding his whereabouts. I will personally reward the Death Eater who brings him to me alive."

The Dark Lord rose and exited with Bellatrix at his side. The death eaters discussed the meeting and reward eagerly as they made for the door. Severus looked up trying to catch Draco's eye, and when he finally did Draco could see an idea forming in his godfather's mind.

* * *

**Sneak Peak of Chapter 3:  
_"That blonde man sent it over for you. It's a dirty martini," he told her before returning to another customer. She looked at the man curiously, but he was looking in the other direction. She took a sip of the drink cautiously, still watching him. He turned around and she was about to thank him, but instead gasped when she saw his face._**


	3. It's A Dirty Martini

**A/N: Okay here is the next chapter. This is one of my favourites, and one of the funnier chapters in this story. Enjoy! :)**

**Thanks to: ****Anthro79, Isabella120, SmoothieKing, VikkiSuLuvzYew, mydirt09**** and mckenna burnett, for the great reviews! **

**Disclaimer: I don't own anything...sadly :(**

Chapter 3 – It's a Dirty Martini 

"Here are your keys, Miss," the hotel clerk said politely, passing Hermione the two cards.

"Thank you," Hermione said quickly. She led Harry and Ron through the crowded entrance to the elevators. Once they were all in Hermione pushed the button for the seventh floor. The elevator stopped and Hermione heard a cool female voice announce, "Seventh floor."

Hermione opened the door and began to look around. It was a small room with a sofa, a television, two queen-sized beds, and a washroom. Harry flopped on the couch and turned on the television, Ron joined him. Hermione was left to unpack their belongings. Once she was finished she grabbed a book on the dark arts and began to read.

After a couple of hours of reading, Hermione was quite disturbed by the book, so she convinced the Harry and Ron to go with her for lunch. They exited the hotel and entered the bustling streets on London. They walked past restaurants and shops, and Hermione was always surprised when she saw her disguised reflection in the windows.

"Oh, let's go here," suggested Hermione, pointing to a restaurant called "Planet Hollywood." They entered the busy restaurant and were led to a table. They looked at all the interesting movie props and costumes as they waited for their meals to arrive. Ron watched a commercial playing on one of the TV screens with great interest.

Their lunch arrived and they chatted happily. They left the restaurant in high spirits, and they decided to spend the afternoon out. Harry bought them tickets for the tube and they entered the station and waited for the next train. They got on and held onto the poles once the train started moving.

The brakes screeched to a stop at the Canary Warf station, a female voice boomed from the speakers, "Mind the gap." The golden trio exited the tube station, and strolled along the waterfront in the sunshine.

However their walk was interrupted by a sudden and harsh gust of wind. They looked around at the quickly darkening sky. Harry felt it first, "dementors," he muttered, nodding towards the river, before turning around and heading back towards the underground station. They hurried down the stairs leading to the trains. The entered the train quickly, and sat nervously counting down until their stop. The golden trio felt a wave of relief when they entered the safety of the hotel room.

* * *

Four days had passed since their arrival at the hotel, and in that short period of time their room had become mess. Hermione's books were scattered everywhere in her attempt to move forward with the mission, food wrappers and clothing littered the floor, and the beds were not made. They did not dare leave the hotel after the dementor incident days earlier, so the hotel maids had not gotten a chance to clean their room.

After days of room service Hermione was sick of it, and wanted to get out of the stuffy room. "I'm going down to the restaurant on the main level, do you want to come?" Hermione asked.

"Nope, but can you pick me up a burger with fries?" Ron answered, not looking up from the television screen.

"Okay, do you want anything Harry?"

"No thanks Hermione," Harry said. Hermione smiled at him sadly, he had not stopped working since they had arrived and he was barely eating.

"Alright, I'll be back in a bit," she said before exiting the room. She walked down to the restaurant and placed her and Ron's orders at the take-out section. She sat down at the bar to wait for their meals.

"What can I get for you Miss?" asked the bartender.

"Just a coke, please," she replied and he poured the drink for her. She sipped it slowly taking in the atmosphere of the restaurant. She was pulled out of her thoughts when the bartender placed another drink in front of her.

"I didn't order this," she said pushing the drink back to him.

"That blonde man sent it over for you. It's a dirty martini," he told her before returning to another customer. She looked at the man curiously, but he was looking in the other direction. She took a sip of the drink cautiously, still watching him. He turned around and she was about to thank him, but instead gasped when she saw his face.

He smiled awkwardly at her and made his way towards her seat. She put the drink down quickly and was about to reach for her wand, but she realized she left it in the room. She panicked and considered running, but if he was armed she would not get away. So she sat there rigidly expecting the worst.

"Hello there," the man said cheerfully, "I'm Lucius, Lucius Malfoy." He took her hand in his and kissed the top of it, and she got a whiff of his breath. He had definitely been drinking. He stumbled onto the bar stool next to her. "How do you like the drink?"

"It's delicious," Hermione replied, her voice an octave higher then usual. She smiled at the irony; he bought her a dirty martini and thought she had dirty blood. She relaxed slightly after realizing he did not recognize her through the disguise, but she knew she had to get away before he sobered.

"I have a son about your age," he said and then hiccupped.

"He's always liked brunettes, but I like blondes myself," he said winking at her. She smiled nervously and began to move her chair away from him. "No, don't leave yet! I'm sure he'll like a pretty thing like you," he continued. "Here, I have a picture of him." Lucius pulled a picture of Draco out and handed it to Hermione.

She looked at the picture and noticed that Draco looked much happier then usual. His impression mirrored his father's, slightly cold and distant, but both of their eyes showed genuine happiness. His mother looked radiant in the picture. They looked like a family of models.

"He looks very nice," she lied easily, "but I should get going."

"I can't keep a woman's attention the way I used to," he sighed, "I guess that is Draco's job now. I am an old man. All I want is a simple life. I don't ask for much, just a nice daughter in-law, five or six grand children, and a happy retirement with my wife…" He trailed off awkwardly and Hermione watched him curiously.

This did not seem like the man she had met so long ago, the man who hated muggleborns, and the man who mistreated house elves. He seemed like he had lost his fire, and Hermione was very curious to know why.

Hermione smiled at him and turned away to face the window. She quickly stuck her hand into the front of her shirt and pulled out a small vial of clear liquid from her bra. She poured three drops into her drink, before hiding the truth serum. "I think you need this drink more than I do," she laughed pushing the martini towards him. He took it gracefully and downed it in two mouthfuls.

She waited until his eyes glazed over before asking her first question in a whisper, "what is Voldemort planning?"

"To take over the world, and kill Harry Potter," he answered like an obedient child. She sighed that was a useless answer.

"What are you doing at this hotel?"

"Getting drunk enough to forget my problems." She let out a breath of relief; he did not know they were at the hotel too.

"What are your problems?"

"The dark lord is using my manor as headquarters, the Malfoy name has lost its power and reputation, my son and wife's lives are at risk, I don't believe in what I am fighting for anymore…"

"Ok that's enough," she said, and noticed the potion was wearing off, "Do you know what my name is?"

"No," he replied. He started to blink rapidly, and Hermione erased his memory of her questioning him.

"That martini was delicious, we really should get some more," he decided and called for the bartender, "I think we need another round!" Hermione sighed in relief he was not suspicious of her at all.

"I think you've had enough to drink for one evening," said the bartender taking the empty glass.

"Just one more round," Lucius said. He then pushed a handful of muggle bills at the bartender.

"I'll get those drinks for you, sir," he said hurrying to get two more martinis. Hermione could not believe Lucius - he had just given the bartender a two hundred dollar tip!

"You have the loveliest eyes I have ever seen!" Lucius exclaimed leaning towards her face, but he lost his balance and tumbled onto her. She grabbed him by the shoulders and placed him back on his seat. If she weren't so terrified of getting caught, she would have found this situation quite amusing. You don't see a Malfoy make a fool of himself everyday.

Lucius giggled, hiccupped and fell off his chair three more times before the bartender came with the drinks. He also brought Hermione's takeout order. He went back to work and Hermione tried to escape again, unsuccessfully.

"You really can not sit still can you, missy?" Lucius asked, while he bounced on his stool. Hermione shook her head before sipping her drink.

"I have a lot to do, and I really should be going," she tried again, but her attempts were useless.

"What has happened to the youth of today?" He sighed. "Everyone's in such a rush. You can't even spare five minutes to have a drink with a lonely old man."

"Fine five minutes," she said firmly, and his pout disappeared. He acted like a very spoiled and hyper child when he was drunk, and Hermione did not want to cause a scene incase there were death eaters near by. She sipped her drink again, and he watched her closely.

"I think I recognize you from somewhere," he started and Hermione's panic came rushing back, "Yes, I know who you are!"

* * *

**A/N: I love drunk Lucius! I feel like he would be so hilarious. Sorry, I don't have a good preview for the next chapter :(  
So I'll just say that the chapter title is: Love is Blind.**


	4. Love is Blind

**A/N: Here is chapter number four! I probably will not get another chance to update for another week or so, but until then enjoy this chapter and Happy Holidays! :D**

**Disclaimer: That would be an awesome present...owning Harry Potter...I know what I'm asking for this year ;)**

Chapter 4 – Love is Blind

"How can you possibly know me?" Hermione laughed nervously, "we just met this evening remember. You sent me that drink and then we started talking." Lucius shook his head at her and examined her face curiously trying to figure out how he knew her.

"I'm sure I know you from some where," he declared confidently, "are you related to Narcissa Malfoy, her maiden name was Black?"

"No, I don't think so…" Hermione began, but he started talking over her.

"You don't look anything like her great aunt Millicent, but you have some resemblance to her sister Bellatrix," he said watching her closely. After hearing that comment Hermione choked on her drink, she was _nothing_ like Bellatrix Lestrange. Just the thought of being like her made Hermione shudder.

"Terrible women," he said matter-of-factly, "but she has the most beautiful ears, you have nice ears too. You also have a similar nose, but I'm quite sure she got a nose job. Can you believe she is in love with a man, who has the ugliest nose in the world; it is completely flat, like a snake?"

"Love is blind," Hermione commented. She did not like being compared to that awful woman.

"That is so true. My son is surrounded by beautiful women all the time, but has he fallen for one, of course not," Lucius said banging his fist on the bar to emphasize his point, and Hermione jumped at his sudden action.

"Aha!" Lucius exclaimed, "I've figured it out. I know exactly who you are. You're Pansy Parkinson! Draco has told me all about you."

"No, I am not Pansy Parkinson," said Hermione, she was once again disgusted by his choice of comparisons.

"You're right. She has black hair and Draco says her voice has a high-pitched and annoying quality," Lucius said discouraged, "You look so familiar though."

"Maybe I look like someone you know, and you see a resemblance" Hermione suggested nervously strumming her fingers against the bar.

"No that's not it," he paused and then continued, "I know! Maybe you just look like someone I know!" Satisfied with his answer Lucius looked at his watch before gasping and tumbling off his chair again. "8:00! We have been talking for almost an hour. I really must get going I have important business this evening," he said before hurrying out of the bar.

Hermione let out a breath she had not realized she was holding. She gave him a minute's head start before grabbing her meals and sneaking out of the restaurant. As she walked through the lobby, she saw him meet a group of men that looked suspiciously like Death Eaters. She tried to blend in with the crowd as she made her way to the elevator.

While waiting for the elevator Hermione saw a young boy playing with a ball, he dropped it and it came rolling in her direction. She picked it up and handed it to him, and then she ruffled his hair and plucked a single hair discreetly.

Hermione was able to get hairs from two more people after that, and hurried to the room. She opened the door, checked no one was following her, and then locked it securely.

"Harry, Ron," she called urgently, "come quickly." They both came in from the other room curiously. "There are Death Eaters down stairs. Lucius Malfoy saw me, but he was drunk, so he didn't realize who I was.

"Shit," cursed Harry as he started picking up clothes from the floor.

"Bloody hell," muttered Ron as he hurried into the other room to pack. Hermione followed him grabbing everything she could carry and throwing it into the trunks haphazardly. They finished packing within ten minutes and were all at the door ready to leave.

"Okay, we have got one use of pollyjuice potion and I think we should use it now," she said pulling out the hairs and the vials, "there were quite a few death eaters, and our current disguises won't be good enough to fool all of them. They might be able to tell that our appearances were magically altered." Both boys nodded, so she passed out paper cups each with a mouthful of potion in it.

"Here Harry, you are going to be a little boy, so we will have to shrink your clothes quickly. Ron and I will be your parents." Ron blushed, but gulped down the potion and transformed into a muggle man. Harry and Hermione also transformed and they pulled their muggle luggage back to the elevator and to the main level.

"Jim dear," said Hermione patting Ron's arm pointedly, "Take Scott back to the car, while I check out." Ron nodded his understanding, and only hesitated for a moment before he took Harry outside past the death eaters. None of them even noticed the "father and son" that walked past them.

Hermione met up with them soon after. "Gosh there was such a long queue to check out," she said as she enlarged her car. The all piled in and she pulled out of the parking lot.

Once they had driven far enough away from the city, with Hermione nervously glancing in her rearview mirror every few seconds, they stopped and shrunk the car again. She grabbed Harry and Ron and apparated to a forest not too far away.

"Where are we?" Harry asked looking around curiously.

"We are just outside a muggle village, in a small forest," said Hermione, "Let's set up the tent quickly before anyone sees us." The Polyjuice potion had worn off, and it had stripped them of their original disguises, so it was best they hurry.

Hermione set up the tent magically and put up several safety precautions. There was an invisible shield around the tent that prevented anyone from seeing or hearing them. There were also some spells to detect dark magic and prevent muggles from coming near them. Once satisfied with the protection the trio entered the tent.

"Do Mum and Dad know you took the tent?" Ron asked.

"Yeah, I asked your dad before we left."

"I think we should take shifts guarding the tent at night," Harry suggested. The others agreed and they decided that they would each take one three-hour shift. With that decided Harry took the first watch, while Ron and Hermione slept. Three hours later, he re-entered the tent and woke Hermione for her turn. She rubbed her eyes groggily. Then she slid out of her bed and grabbed her wand before sitting, uncomfortably, outside the tent's entrance.

The forest was dark and creepily silent. Hermione jumped at the smallest noises. She almost screamed when a small squirrel scurried past her and into a nearby tree. She scolded herself for being so jumpy. Where was her Gryffindor Courage? She was not used to being out at night alone. She always had Harry and Ron to protect her. Though she rarely needed protection, she was quite proud of her magical abilities and was no damsel in distress. But she was in the middle of a war, and she had to be strong.

She sighed again, thinking of Ron. She wished she still loved him like she used to. She still loved him, of course, but more like a brother. She felt the same way about Harry. Unfortunately, Ron seemed to, finally, be taking an interest in her. It was ironic, her crush on him finally faded and he begins to have feeling for her. At least that was what she thought. He had become more protective towards her, and definitely was more attentive. But deep down, she wondered if he truly loved her. His romantic antics seemed a bit exaggerated and he was not the same after his disastrous break up with Lavender. The more rational part of Hermione bad begun to realize that Ron might have had real feelings for Lavender, but she had been too jealous to consider that six months ago.

She looked at her watch. Her three hours were finished, so she got up and stretched. She snuck back into the tent and woke Ron quietly. He mumbled sleepily before jumping off the top bunk and stationing himself outside the tent. Hermione smiled as she crawled back into her bed and drifted off to sleep.

* * *

"Lucius," McNair boomed in greeting. Lucius nodded his head in acknowledgment. His head was throbbing and he could remember nothing from the last few hours, except entering the place for a drink. Severus approached him with Draco in tow.

"Drinking again Lucius?" Severus asked curtly.

"Yes I have been drinking, not that it is any of your business," Lucius snapped, "and my head is aching."

"Here," Severus sighed, "It will help your head. You really should be setting a better example for Draco. Liquor will not solve your problems." Lucius snorted, but took the potion gratefully. He had tried to be a good example for Draco, but he failed in that too.

Once Lucius' headache was relieved the three men joined the death eaters' destruction half-heartedly. Innocent muggles screamed in terror as the group marched, shooting spells at everyone in range. The dark mark was shot into the air as countless bodies hit the ground. Draco grimaced as he saw a dead muggle on the floor in front of him. He stunned, jinxed and tortured those nearest to him, but killed none that night.

Severus and Lucius, however did manage to kill some, but like Draco did not stomach it well. Severus had learned to control his actions the best out of the three. No one ever doubted his power or his support for the Dark Lord. Even on nights like these, when he sidelined himself. It was obvious to most that both Lucius and Draco were no longer content fighting for him. They only remained with him to spare their own lives.

* * *

**A/N: Alright, Chapter 5 preview: (It isn't much, but at least it's something) **

_**"I have a plan," Severus responded proudly.**_


	5. Escaping Reality

A/N: First chapter of 2011! I hope everyone had a great holiday season and a very happy New Year! Here is the next chapter. Sorry it has taken so long to update, but I promise to have the next chapter up in about a week, if I get a lot of reviews maybe sooner ;)

**Disclaimer: My New Year's Resolution: To own Harry Potter...ok so that is not going to happen anytime soon, or ever.**

Chapter 5 – Escaping Reality

Hermione woke to the sound of pots being shuffled around. She sat up in bed and looked around at the tent. The source of the noise was Ron searching through the cupboards nosily. "Shh Ron, what are you doing?" Hermione asked sliding out of her bed.

"I'm hungry, and we don't have any food," Ron replied before returning to his search.

"I packed some food before we left," she whispered, "Here it's in my purse." She passed him the bag and he rummaged around until he found a box of cereal. "Try to be quiet, Harry's still asleep."

"Sorry Harry," Ron whispered and Hermione laughed. She got back into bed and grabbed another book. She curled up into a comfortable position and began to read contently. A little while later Harry woke up, and once he was dressed they began their first meeting.

"So…" Harry began the discussion awkwardly.

"We're here," said Hermione, "it seems so unreal. We've been planning this for so long, and now we're here and we don't know what to do next." The boys smiled at her and she laid her head on the table trying to think.

"Okay, so we know there are seven parts of You-Know-Who's soul," Ron spoke for the first time during the meeting, "Harry are you sure the seventh part is still in him?"

"Pretty sure, yeah," Harry replied. He tried to think back to his meetings with Dumbledore. His face saddened at the memories of his headmaster.

"Try to remember exactly what Dumbledore said," Hermione encouraged him, "if there is another Horcrux we need to know about it."

"Okay, he said that after he came back and turned the snake into a Horcrux he realized he was too weak to make another one. Dumbledore seemed very sure he wouldn't try to make another one." Harry recalled.

"That's good," Hermione announced, "so the ring and the diary have been destroyed."

"And we also know there is also Huffelpuff's cup, his snake, the part that is still in him, and something from Gryffindor or Ravenclaw," Ron continued the list Hermione had started.

"R.A.B has the locket," Harry added, completing their list. "That one will be the hardest to find, because we don't know who R.A.B is or anything about him."

"Or her," Hermione said pointedly.

Harry nodded at her. "At least we have some knowledge of Voldemort's past, so we can try to guess where they're hidden."

"But this is all stuff we already know," Hermione sighed. "We are getting nowhere with this I think we should try to find more information. Even if we find the Horcruxes we don't know how to destroy them yet."

* * *

It was past midday and Hermione's concentration skills were failing her. She tried to focus on her notes, but she found herself re-reading the same lines over and over. She snapped her book shut and slammed in onto the table. "This is useless, I'm not finding anything," she moaned. She knew her negativity and child-like whining would do nothing to help them, but she was never pleased when her beloved books failed her.

Ron and Harry looked at her guiltily - they had given up over an hour ago and were now absorbed in a game of wizard's chess. Hermione could not blame them, they had been reading for hours and had found nothing useful. Disappointed, Hermione repacked all of her books and rummaged through her trunk for something to do. She found her abandoned knitting from her fourth year. She smiled at it fondly and decided to continue a pink woolen hat she had started.

After finishing the hat she placed it back in her purse. She was surprised to find the galleons they had used during fifth year for the D.A. She picked them up and examined them. If she could rework them, they could use them for communication in emergencies.

She set to work pulling out a new book on charms. It was complicated. She would have to cut off the contact with the old D.A. members, and then she had to find a way to communicate larger pieces of text. Her brow furrowed as the coin grew hot in her hand, but her message did not appear on the coin. The saw the sun setting as she put the final touches on the galleons. She smiled in victory as her message appeared on the other coins.

"Guess what I did!" She exclaimed as she dropped a coin in front of Harry and Ron. They looked at her curiously and motioned for her to continue. "I've fixed the galleons from the D.A., so know we can use them if we ever need to communicate." They looked at her in awe as she explained how to use them; after all it _was_ extremely advanced magic. She beamed at them as they complimented her brilliance.

They celebrated her victory with a huge dinner that night. Ron and Harry even helped her cook. Their dinner was followed by a sleepy silence and Hermione was grateful she had the last watch as she crawled into her warm bed.

Harry woke her when he had returned from his shift. She felt wide-awake. So she changed out of her pajamas and sat outside the tent. She could hear the first sounds of morning: birds chirping, animals beginning to scurry around he forest and a light breeze ruffled the leaves on the trees surrounding her. She watched the sun rise and as it moved higher into the sky she heard voices inside. That could only mean one thing - Harry and Ron were awake and searching for food.

She entered the tent and grabbed a bowl of cereal before the boys finished the box. She laughed as the wrestled for the prize inside. She rooted each of them on in turn, until the prize flew across the tent and out into the forest. Hermione laughed more as they began to argue for the last bowl of cereal instead.

Hermione felt energized that morning, and for once was too active to read. So she hid her wand in her jacket and left the tent. She did not know where she was going exactly, but with the cool autumn breeze in her hair she felt completely relaxed. She decided to explore the area. For the first hour of her walk she stayed quite close to the tent, but after only seeing trees she decided to explore further.

To the far left of the tent was a small cliff overlooking a muggle village. It was small and peaceful. Hermione saw a grocery store, which she knew she would need to stop at to fill the boys' large appetites. She also saw some houses, a school, and a selection of little shops. She walked along the edge of the cliff looking for a path to the village. Once she found it she began to walk back the tent. She passed it and found a small creek where she could see some muggles fishing. She hid within the trees as she watched them. Then she happily made her way back to the tent.

* * *

The Hog's Head was quiet that evening – as it always was. Two men entered and moved to the back of the bar with their drinks. Their hushed whispers went unnoticed by the other customers. "What's going on?" Draco asked curiously.

"I have a plan," Severus responded proudly.

"Really?" asked Draco sarcastically, "I thought you snuck me out of the castle to show me you new tea pot."

Severus scowled, and continued, "Draco this is not the time for sarcasm. I've been watching you and you've been beat to a pulp by the other Death Eaters. If you don't get out of here they're going to kill you."

"Well escape isn't really an option," Draco snapped. They had planned several escapes, each one more impractical then the next. "Even if we do get me away from here, the Dark Lord will hunt me down."

"Who else is on the run from the dark lord and hasn't been caught yet?" Snape asked with a triumphant smirk on his face.

"No one… Potter!" Draco exclaimed. "No way I am not getting Potter's help."

"Fine," Severus replied coolly, "why don't I call some other Death Eaters and they can finish you off now?" Draco scowled and downed the rest of his drink.

"How are you going to find him?" Draco asked pointing out the major flaw in his brilliant plan.

"Potter has a locket that was on Dumbledore," Severus bowed his head at the mention of the late headmaster and continued, "the night he died and I had a hunch that Potter would take it. So I put a tracking charm on it."

"I'll think about it, but if I can think of something better…" Draco trailed off. Then he left some coins on the table and made his way back up to the school.

Unfortunately Antonin Dolohov stopped him on his way there. Draco groaned inwardly as he was tortured repeatedly for failing to kill Dumbledore. His legs gave out beneath him and he hit the ground with a thud. His vision became clouded. He bit his tongue to prevent his screams and blood trickled from his lips.

Red sparks were shot into the sky. There was an intruder. Dolohov left quickly in the direction the sparks came from. Draco dragged himself to his feet and spat blood from his mouth. He looked around warily before limping back to the castle.

* * *

**A/N: Next chapter Draco has a run in with the golden trio...dundundun! That was a bit overdramatic :D**


	6. You!

**A/N: Chapter 6! Thanks for the reviews and to everyone who is reading this. I've begin to work on some non-fanfiction stories (I will still update this story as frequently as I have been so far) and I would like some advice to improve my writing. Honest critisims would be greatly appreciated, please just let me know what you like and what I can improve on in a review or PM...it would be greatly appreciated :)**

**Disclaimer: I do not own any characters, places, or other aspects feautured in the increadible series by J.K. Rowling :(**

Chapter 6 – You!

Hermione sorted through her purse for the third time that morning. It seemed impossible that they could run out of food so quickly. She regretted their celebratory dinner earlier that week. There was no other solution. She would have to go shopping. Harry and Ron were still asleep and it seemed fruitless to wake them up. So she gave herself a new disguise. She became tall and curvy with wavy brown hair. Then she left them a short note that read:

_Hi boys,_

_I'm going to the store in the village. We need more food and supplies. I'll pick up something for breakfast while I'm out. I'll be back soon._

_Love, Hermione_

She placed the note on the table and exited the tent as quietly as she could. She stepped out of the tent and breathed deeply, the tent was always so stuffy. She wandered through the forest looking for the pathway she had found the previous day. She heard movement in the bushes nearby and gripped her wand tightly, though she left it hidden in her pocket. She continued on, but could not shake the feeling that she was being watched. The back of her neck prickled and she whipped her head around, but nothing was there.

Panicked now, she started to walk faster. She stumbled at the top of the rocky pathway and suddenly lost her balance. She tumbled down the hill and her head collided with a sharp rock, knocking her unconscious.

Severus snuck out from behind the bushes and performed a tricky spell cracking the bone in her leg. Since it was a magical injury it would take a lot of time to heal without a healer or equivalent magical skills. This would give Severus time to convince Draco to go through with the rest of the plan. If he were not so damn stubborn the plan would not be this difficult.

Hermione was face down on the ground when she awoke. Her head was throbbing and when she put her hand on it she felt a large bump. She pulled it away and her fingers were covered in a sticky film of blood. She groaned and tried to get up, but as soon as she put pressure on her right leg pain seared across it. The pain in her head had prevented her from noticing this earlier. She tried, unsuccessfully, to drag her self back up the small hill.

"Ugggh," she moaned as she slid back down. She pulled out her wand and tried every healing spell she knew. None were effective. Finally she tried a numbing spell, which helped a little. She grabbed a long stick, and, using it as a crutch, began to climb the hill.

It took her almost half of an hour to get back to the tent. She fell countless times and could not stay on her feet for more than five minutes without taking a break. She arrived to see Harry pacing nervously and Ron sitting at the table scowling. As soon as they saw her they yelled angrily.

"We were worried something happened to you," yelled Ron going red in the face.

"You should have waited for once of to come with you," added Harry harshly. Hermione leaned warily on the side of the tent, too exhausted to interrupt them. After about five minutes of their bellowing they noticed her injury and let her explain.

"I fell and hurt myself on the rocky path to the village," she explained as the helped her onto her bed. Her numbing spell had worn off completely and she could barely move. It should not have worn off the quickly, but Hermione did not realize that immediately. After that the boys were amazing. They brought her pillows and helped ice her swollen leg. It was turning a deep purple, which was not a good sign. She overheard them talking about it in hushed whispers. They did not approach her, however until the next afternoon. She saw by their faces that it was no good news.

"Hermione," Harry started calmly, "you've injured your leg really badly and we don't want to hurt your feelings, but we think we need to split up." She began to object, but Harry stopped her and continued. "Look, if we are found by Death Eaters they are going to see your injury and you'll be an easy target. Then they will use you to get to me."

"So you want me to just stay her and be useless," she replied angrily.

"Of course not," said Ron apologetically, "We will only need to stay separated until your leg is healed. While you are healing Harry will use the extra tent and as soon as you're okay we'll meet up with him. We can even help him while we are separated. We'll use the coins so we can still communicate with him."

"No! Harry can't go on by himself!" Hermione exclaimed. "We've been through this so many times Harry. You cannot defeat him by yourself." The boys remained silent, and Hermione decided to suggest an alternative, "Ron, you should go with Harry. There is no point of both of us staying here, and being useless." Ron looked convinced by her reasoning, and Harry, though still looking doubtful, agreed.

Hermione held back tears knowing she was being left behind, even though she suggested it. Deep down she knew it was the right decision. If she were captured Harry would do anything to save her, even if that meant losing the war and risking his own life. She settled down in her bed and watched sadly as they packed and prepared to leave her.

"We'll stay in touch," Harry promised as he shrunk his trunk. Both boys hugged her before exiting the tent. She heard a _pop_ and they were gone. She finally let the tears fall. She sobbed for a long time. She knew she was being selfish and what they did was for the best, but she wanted to stay with them.

* * *

Hermione's stomach growled drawing attention to her hunger. She had not eaten since before Harry and Ron left the day before, so naturally she was starving. She peered outside the tent it was almost sunset. She thought of her new disguise. It was a short black bob with brown eyes and a tan complexion. She put the numbing spell on her leg again and then transfigured her stick into a proper crutch. She grabbed her purse and looked around the tent. It felt awkward leaving the tent unattended, and she would have to leave it unguarded at night too. She sighed at these new difficulties.

She walked carefully through the woods and found a new, _safe_ path to the village. The small town was almost empty. Only a couple people were scattered about the main street. She headed straight to the groarHarcery store. Once there she picked up cereal, pasta, and some other packaged foods before heading to the checkout.

She looked around nervously. The war was bringing back her old cautious ways. She waited on a bench near the forest until the street was almost deserted before sneaking back onto the pathway. When she was hidden amongst the trees she stuffed several bags of food into her purse. She missed the invisibility cloak and she crept around the forest. She had the feeling someone was watching her again, she looked around subtly hoping to catch the person. Nothing. She decided she was being paranoid and kept walking.

A small voice entered her head. _Go tap that tree three times._ Hermione listened to the rather odd instruction without hesitation. _Say Voldemort._ Hermione found this rather odd and paused before complying with this voice in her head. Severus remained hidden in the bushes and released his Imperius curse as several death eaters apparated into the woods.

Spells went flying and Hermione tried to protect herself. She used every spell she could think of, but there were so many of them. _Incendio_. Nothing happened. She tried harder and the braches above the death eaters caught fire and began to fall. Chaos ensued. The death eaters shouted and fled, some tried to extinguish the growing flames. A flaming branch just missed her as she tried to escape on her injured leg.

"Go help her," Severus commanded as he shoved Draco roughly into the chaos.

"Aren't you coming?" he asked quickly as he took cover behind a nearby tree.

"No, you need someone on the inside if we want to hide you effectively. I'll be able to warn you if the Dark Lord knows your whereabouts," Severus hissed. Then he apparated before Draco could protest. Draco grunted as a Death Eater running in the opposite direction bumped into him. He spotted her struggling to limp away from the Death Eaters who were beginning to take control of the fire and regroup. In all the confusion Draco managed to grab Hermione and apparate away without them noticing.

Pressure enveloped Draco as he apparated them. He felt her struggle against him, but he held her securely. He had both his arms wrapped around her stomach trapping her arms. He gasped in pain as she elbowed him in the ribs, but he did not let go of her petit frame. Snape had abandoned him and he was not in the mood to deal with her.

She continued to struggle and he tightened his grip, so she could not move the top half of her body. Being the stubborn Gryffindor she was, she responded by swinging her leg back into his shin. His knees almost gave out as the arrived at their destination. The pressure disappeared and he heard her yelp as he clapped one hand over her mouth and turned her around to face him. Her eyes opened wide in realization.

"You!" she exclaimed.

* * *

**A/N: Chapter 7 - Draco and Hermione finally have to face each other**


	7. On The Run With A Ferret

**A/N: Next Chapter! Have a good weekend :) Btw Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1 is nominated for 2 Oscars! :D :D :D Yay Harry!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own a thing.**

Chapter 7 - On the Run with a Ferret

"You!" she exclaimed.

"Yes, I'm quite aware of who I am," he replied icily as he attempted to keep her in a firm grip and pull out his tent at the same time. She noticed his struggle and managed to pull free of his grasp. She squirmed away and tried to make a run for it. "Damn it!" He cursed, before dropping the tent. He tackled her to the ground before she managed to disapparate.

"Oomph," she grunted at the pain shooting up her leg. He held her in place as he waved his wand. His tent rose from a lump on the ground into a large Victorian style mansion. Her jaw dropped in astonishment and she stopped squirming.

"Not used to this eh?" Draco smirked, "I can't imagine what kind of filth the Weasel provided."

That brought her back to reality and a look of disgust came over her face. He felt the change as her body became rigid once more. He looked around hastily, and cast invisibility and protection spells around the tent before dragging her into it. He pushed her into a chair, but did not bind her.

"Right," he began awkwardly, "I'm guessing you have no idea why you're here."

"Let me guess," she replied sarcastically, "You were sent to capture me, so you could use me as bait to get to Harry. You know these evil plots are really getting dull. I think Voldem-"

He cut her off by slapping his hand over her mouth, none to gently. "Don't say it; they're using his name to track Potter and the Order members," he hissed. She looked at him questionably and nodded to show she understood. Confusion was etched into her face as he removed his hand.

"Why don't you want them to find us?" she asked, looking at him oddly. He raised his eyebrow at her. "Not that I'm complaining," she added quickly.

Draco watched her intensely, "you've got me all wrong Granger. I didn't kidnap you on Death Eater orders," he said seriously. "I need your help. You-know-who was going to kill me eventually because I failed my mission in June."

"Why should I help you?" She spat in disgust, "you're nothing but a filthy Death Eater!"

"I didn't think you'd believe me, so I brought this," he pulled out a vial of clear liquid, "It is Vertaserum." He let her examine the potion and determine that it was in fact a truth potion. He then took a swig and waited a moment before speaking. "Last year I was given the mission to kill Albus Dumbledore, I failed. Since then the dark lord has been torturing my family and I. Snape helped me plan a way to escape. He injured you, hoping that Potter and Weasley would leave and I could get you alone."

"But why would you need me alone?" She interjected.

"They would have never helped me, with you Snape believed I had a chance," he continued, "He wanted me to tell you the truth about Dumbledore. He was sick before Snape killed him, and he planned his own murder. Remember how his hand turned black; it was some cursed ring. It was going to kill him eventually, so he asked Snape to do it instead. I didn't want to join the death eaters, but I didn't have a choice. Snape knew if I went into hiding with you I wouldn't be caught and I could help you with your mission."

"But how did Snape know where we were?" she asked curiously and worried that they were easy to track.

"Potter has some locket, and Snape put a tracking spell on it," he replied.

Hermione looked frowned, looking pensive. He watched her, waiting for a reaction. It would be much easier to go into hiding if she would co-operate. She was battling her conscience. He could bring trouble, but she knew he could be useful and she thought he must be desperate if he was coming to them for help. And she did not believe he was capable of lying while under the influence of such a strong truth potion. "Alright Malfoy, I believe you. But I have to talk to Harry and Ron before I decide what to do."

"Fine," He rolled his eyes, but secretly was relieved that she was giving him a chance. She pulled a galleon from her handbag and waved her wand over it manipulating it to display her message.

* * *

Harry had been sitting the night watch when he felt heat radiating from his pocket. He pulled out the galleon, quickly and read Hermione's message.

_Death Eaters found me, but I got away._

_Malfoy was with them and he saved me._

_He wants to go into hiding with us._

_He told me that Dumbledore was sick, because of the ring_

_And he planned his murder._

_He also said he never wanted to be a Death Eater. He was using vertaserum._

_I think he should stay with me, I know he can't help with our mission._

_But he could be useful, he knows a lot about the dark arts._

_What do you think?_

Harry read the message three times before he understood her message. She obviously believed Malfoy was not a threat. Harry trusted her judgment and replied back saying that he could stay and help her while her leg healed. He also warned her to be extra careful around him. His mind was mostly focused on what she said about Dumbledore. He remembered that day so clearly, but could not understand how Dumbledore could have planned it. He continued the guard the tent debating on how to break the news to Ron.

* * *

Hermione waited for his response impatiently, and jumped when she felt the galleon heat up in her clammy hand. It had been awkward waiting for Harry to approve her decision, not that they really had a choice. Malfoy knew where they were, and she had nowhere else to stay, it wasn't safe to go back to her tent yet. She read the message and sighed in relief. "Alright you can stay with me for now, until my leg heals, then we will go back with Harry and Ron."

"Fine," he sneered, but was rather thankful that he did not have to use other methods to persuade her. She rolled her eyes at his immediate change of attitude. "Follow me." She got up and followed him, slightly curious, be mostly cautious. She believed him about not wanting to be a Death Eater, but she was not going to trust him anytime soon.

He glided through the tent quickly and easily. He didn't even bother to check if she was keeping up. He came to a sudden stop and she walked into him and fell, landing with a thump on her backside. He raised an eyebrow, "this is your room," he said curtly then walked away leaving her on the floor. She let out a frustrated noise and pulled herself off the ground in a very ungraceful manner, before sinking into her bed and falling asleep.

Draco woke up the next morning stiff from a night full of tossing and turning. He had woken up several times, and twice he had snuck down to Hermione's room to check she had not abandoned him. It was not that he wanted her with him, but he knew she would make hiding much easier.

By the end of their first two days together Hermione had learned the tent, though large, only had two bedrooms, a kitchen, a lounge, and a small bathroom. It was much larger than Ron's tent, of course, but it wasn't large enough for her to avoid Malfoy. Living with him had become very predictable. They would eat breakfast together, have a stupid argument, and then he would storm out and come back around midday. They spent the rest of the day avoiding each other. She spent most afternoons reading in the lounge or her bedroom.

It was early afternoon, just over a week after he had found her, and Hermione was curled up in the lounge reading a random book when he sauntered in. She instantly prepared herself for and argument. She closed her book haughtily before addressing him, "What do you want Malfoy?"

"Tsk, Tsk," he said smirking, "No need to be so irritable."

"You would be irritable too, if you were stuck in a room with yourself for more than twenty-four hours.'

"I disagree," he replied smoothly, "I enjoy being in the company of my sexy self."

"Get to the point."

"I was thinking, we should go back to your tent and collect your things."

"Fine," she answered too quickly. She had been longing to get out of the tent. She missed the freedom that she used to have. They argued continually about her leaving the tent, but as she was still injured, it did seem more precautious for her to stay in the tent. Though she would never admit that to him. "When are we going?"

"How about now?" he asked coolly. She nodded quickly and hurried to her room to grab her purse and put on a travelling cloak. She met him at the front of the tent where he waited for her impatiently. "We don't have all day," he snapped, "I want to relocate before nightfall."

"We're relocating?" she asked cautiously.

"You do remember we're on the run?' he snarled, sick of her questions.

"Well I'd like to have some say in what is happening!" She snapped, "You'd think it was you doing me a favour the way you treating me. I'd like to remind you that I am helping _you._"

"Helping me," he snarled, "I didn't need your permission." She was about to argue back, but he cut her off. "Granger, trust me on this, you have no idea what I am capable of." His face was clouded with anger and his voice became dangerously low. She didn't respond. For the first time she was actually in fear because his presence.

He stormed out of the tent and she followed meekly, but wary. Her mind was racing, curious about his true capabilities. He pulled out his wand and shrunk the tent, before storing it conveniently in his pocket. She stayed a few feet behind him, but did not waver under his harsh stares. "Come on," he said in a low husky voice. "We're going to side along apparate again."

"Why?" She demanded slowly regaining her confidence.

"Because that is the only way I can keep track of you," he snapped back. His face was hard and she did not complain again, but stalked to his side with her head held high. He clutched her arm tightly, his cool skin causing her arm to tingle. She was a bundle of nerves and was relieved when they appeared in the forest overlooking the small town. They gathered her things quickly, and he clutched her arm once more. She was curious to know where they were going next.

They arrived in another forest. There was a layer of snow coating the ground, and Hermione could see her breath shimmer in the chilly, winter air. The sudden coldness made her realize that it must be December already.

That thought was shocking, the year was passing so quickly and they had yet to find any Horcruxes. And she had no word on what was happening with the Order or the Death Eaters… A cold gust of wind brought her back from her depressing train of thought. She shivered and her sudden movement caused him to let go of her arm.

He pulled out his tent and set it up – quickly placing the protection charms around them. He walked in and she followed a moment later. "We're sharing my tent he called out to her, reading her thoughts precisely. She followed him into the warmth before preparing to argue.

"Why?" She snapped, "I am perfectly capable of living on my own, and I'll stay nearby."

"Well that's not an option," he replied, struggling to control his temper. He was always on edge these days, and it was hard to remain calm when she insisted on arguing over _everything_. She seemed to bring out the worst in him. For many it was hard to believe, but he did have a nice side.

"Do I have any say in what is happening?"

"Yes, you do," he replied calmly, regaining his composure. Arguing was getting them nowhere, so he decided to attempt to reason with her. "I know you want to stay in your own tent, but I think it is better if we stay together. It will be more difficult if we are always relocating with two tents, and we will be much easier to track. And I know you disagree, but I don't always mind your company."

He did not know where the last part came from. It was partially to persuade her, but it was partially true. He never had many friends at Hogwarts, followers mainly. When he joined the Death Eaters he was the youngest and was often excluded from discussions. Hermione's jaw dropped for a fraction of a second, but she quickly regained her composure and replied, "You're right carrying two tents around would be silly."

"We could stay in you tent, if you prefer?" He asked uncertainly trying to convince her that his niceness was genuine.

"No this is fine, it's much larger," she responded. After that the tent was filled with an awkward silence. Both were unsure of how to react to the situation. "Well I have to go…read a book." She hurried to her room and threw herself into studying Horcruxes for the rest of the night. She didn't even come out for dinner, to avoid another awkward encounter.

Draco sat in the lounge attempting to read _Quidditch through the Ages _but his mind was constantly wandering. The cause of his lack of concentration was a certain brunette in the next room. It was awkward being nice to her because he was not accustomed to doing so. She could drive him crazy, but he was starting to miss real conversations with people his own age. Not that he minded arguing with her, she always had something to say, and he had fun watching her react. His thoughts began to frustrate him, so he gave up on his book and headed to his room for the night.

* * *

**Hmmm, you want a preview of Chapter 8? :)**

_**"I really don't plan on reading your diary. This may surprise you, but I don't care about your love life with the weasel," he drawled sarcastically. She noticed his tone immediately. He was insulting her friends and his words were dripping with sarcasm. She did the math – he was not in a good mood.**_


	8. Civil Conversations

**A/N: Helllo again my lovely readers! I feel like that sounds a bit creepy - sorry! Anyway on with the next chapter. There is a little bit of "fluff" in this chapter (very little), there will be more in the future, but I felt that Draco and Hermione needed some time for there relationship to develop.**

**I just realized I haven't been thaking the reviewers for the last few chapters! So a big thank you to: amrawo, xoRetributionox, and MAraUdERs4ever98 for your awesome reviews! :D**

**Disclaimer: Alas, I do not own Harry Potter. All rights go to J.K. Rowling because she created Harry and his incredible world!**

Chapter 8 – Civil Conversations

It was very late one night when Draco received a message from Snape via Patronus. He was struggling to sleep when the silvery doe flew into his room. Draco sat up and grabbed his wand anxiously. He then realized what it was and lowered his hand hesitantly.

It began to speak: "Draco, I hope you and Miss Granger are safely in hiding. We have no news of Potter or your whereabouts, which is excellent. Unfortunately, I have some bad news your parents have disappeared. Don't worry. I am almost positive that they left by choice. Once you were gone, they had no reason to stay. Do not respond to this message."

The doe disappeared, and left Draco alone in the dark. He was shocked into silence. Then he was angry, upset, frustrated and worried all at once. He grabbed his lamp and threw it in anger. It bounced off the side of the tent, and shattered when it hit the ground. He repaired it without a thought. His mind was now occupied with more important matters. He felt responsible for his parents' departure. If he had not left, he would have no doubts about their well-being. Negative thoughts clouded his mind as he prepared himself for a sleepless night.

* * *

It was three days after Draco and Hermione's first civil conversation, and the morning after Draco received Snape's message. They had slowly begun adjusting to each other. Draco found he could read her mood by her posture and expression. Hermione learned that Draco's mood was never stable, and when he was in a bad mood, it was better just to stay out of his way. Hermione was curled up in the lounge with a book on the Dark Arts, when Draco stormed in. He looked extremely pale and had dark bags under his eyes. She quickly hid the book. However, not quickly enough, he saw her slide it under the couch and was not pleased.

"I really don't plan on reading your diary. This may surprise you, but I don't care about your love life with the weasel," he drawled sarcastically. She noticed his tone immediately. He was insulting her friends and his words were dripping with sarcasm. She did the math – he was not in a good mood.

"My love life does _not_ involve Ron!" She exclaimed, mostly in shock. Surprisingly she was quite naïve to how obviously couple-like they appeared.

"That was sarcasm, even though you two would make the perfect couple," he replied, once again with sarcasm. "I'm not an idiot, I know you're doing research for whatever Potter is doing. I know you don't trust me, but you could be more tactful and not rub it in my face."

"You weren't tactful all those years you called me a mudblood," she spat, finally rising to his bait.

"Well it's what you are," he spat back venomously.

She let out a small scream in frustration and jumped to her feat. Her face was flushed from yelling and her hair was falling out of the ponytail. She looked very menacing and slightly crazy. "I'm so sick of you and your mood swings." She shouted and left the room heatedly. In all her frustration, she completely forgot to grab the book on her way out. He heard her pull the curtain over the entrance to her room followed by silence.

Then his curiosity got the better of him. He crept to the couch silently and pulled the book from beneath the cushion. _Dark Arts through the Ages_ the title intrigued him. Why would she need a book specifically on the Dark Arts? He flipped through the pages; it covered the same topics as most books on the Dark Arts. The book itself did not fascinate him - after all, he had grown up surrounded by them. Nevertheless, he was clueless as to what she would need from this book. He had known her long enough to know that there was a hidden purpose to her reading. He put the book back beneath the cushion and tried to push it from his mind.

* * *

Ron had not spoken to Harry since the night they found out about Malfoy. They sat at the table awkwardly. Harry cleared his throat and tried to make eye-contact, but Ron ignored him completely.

"Come on Ron," Harry said hopelessly.

"How could you let him stay with her," he snarled, "Who knows what he's doing to her? For all we know he could have taken her back to Voldemort."

"Don't be ridiculous," Harry reasoned, "If Voldemort had her they would try and use her as bait to get to me. He would not be keeping it quiet. And she's been contacting me through the galleon every few days, so I know she's alright. I don't like this any more than you do, but we didn't really have a choice. He knew where she was and she couldn't fight him, not when she was injured."

Ron's resolve weakened, "I'm worried about her."

"So am I, but what good is it to sit here and mope? Let's just focus on finding the next Horcrux, so we can get Hermione back. Maybe even before then, once her leg heals we're going to regroup." Ron brightened at this. His attitude had changed though. He became intent on their goal and worked harder than ever.

* * *

Hermione woke up with a headache and a guilty conscience. She felt terrible about exploding on Draco the night before. She knew how his moods were, she should have known better than to yell at him. It was always the same after they argued, both felt guilty, but neither would discuss it. Draco felt guilty for taking his anger out on her. Hermione felt terrible because she knew what his upbringing was like, and still she could not change her feeling towards him. She dragged herself out of bed, and frowned before heading down to his room. She pulled aside the curtain that closed the entrance carefully. She peeked in; he was just waking up.

"Morning," she said meekly, he looked up startled, and then he grunted in response.

"I'm sorry," she said softly, "I shouldn't have yelled at you yesterday."

"No, it was my fault," he replied. It was awkward for him to take responsibility for his actions, but he continued. "Snape contacted me that night, and he told me that my parents have disappeared." She gasped and he chuckled darkly at her worried expression. "You know my father was at the department of mysteries back in fifth year, he wasn't planning on letting you all escape alive."

"He's still you dad, and wants what's best for you," she frowned thinking back to her conversation with Lucius at the hotel. She was beginning to realize that people were not always how appeared. He looked at her curiously.

"I know, but I think they're alright. Snape said he thinks they're on the run like the rest of us." Hermione had entered the room fully now, and was hovering around the side of his bed. She leaned against the side gently.

"How is your leg?" He asked, changing the subject.

"Better, I think it's almost healed now," she said carefully. She wanted to go back to the boys soon, but knew better than to push the subject. After a mental debate, she changed the topic. "I was thinking," she began carefully, but he cut in.

"That's so new for you," he joked sarcastically.

"As I was saying," she continued smiling slightly, "I was wondering if you would consider helping me with…something," she finished lamely, not knowing whether or not she should call it a mission. He picked up immediately, and the awkward civility ended. Hermione could tell that he was very curious, which made her slightly suspicious.

"What kind of help do you need," he asked cautiously.

"Research mostly," she responded, "Maybe later you can assist us with something more adventurous".

"Is that because you don't trust me, or because you don't have any dark, and dangerous tasks?" He asked.

"A bit of both," she admitted sheepishly, "But who said that it was dark and dangerous?"

"Granger, you are on the run from You-Know-Who," he replied, "I was a death eater. I may not know him well, but I know that whatever he was hiding was dark and dangerous."

"You knew he was hiding something," she asked quickly, realizing that he knew more than she had previously thought.

"I've heard some things," he added, realizing that Voldemort _was_ hiding something.

"Then you might be more helpful than I thought," she admitted.

"I found one of your books the other day," he stated. "Accidently of course," he added hastily. "It was about the dark arts, which happens to be my area of expertise, due to my hands-on experience."

"Do you know anything about Horcruxes?" She asked hesitantly, and she was slightly reassured by his reaction. He looked totally taken back, he was not expecting that.

"Yes," he said slowly. "Is that what Potter is searching for? You-know-who's Horcrux?"

"Horcruxes," she emphasized the plural.

"He has more than one!" He exclaimed disgusted. She nodded, motioning for him to continue, but comforted by his reaction.

"Okay then," he pulled himself together. "A Horcrux is an object that contains part of a human soul." His face looked slightly revolted by the mere thought of separating one's soul from its body.

"I knew that already," she answered briskly. "Do you know how to create one?"

"No," Draco responded clearly flabbergasted by her question, "I never needed to know that. It's psychotic, to separate you soul from your body. And you have to commit murder first." He shuddered realizing how close he had been to becoming a murderer.

"Potter isn't planning to…" He trailed off uncertain of the motives behind the question.

"No, Harry would never-" She exclaimed in shock, "He wants to find You-Know-Who's Horcruxes." She was sitting cross-legged on his bed now.

"Then why do you want to know how to create one?" He asked mystified.

"Well, I figured if I knew how to create one I could figure out how to destroy one," she revealed.

"Destroying a Horcrux," he said pensively, "From what I've heard you need really powerful magic."

"What type of magic," she pressed eagerly, leaning towards him in anticipation.

"I don't know," he replied, "I never found very much information on them, because I never looked. And information on them is not easy to access."

"I know," Hermione replied exasperated, "I had a theory recently. I was thinking that maybe it's not dark magic to destroy it, but light magic?"

"Light magic?" Draco snorted.

"Well, if there is dark magic, there must be light magic, right?" Hermione asked defensively.

"That's not exactly how it works. To the Dark Lord, dark magic is regular magic. And that's what it really is. People just call it dark magic or dark arts because it's so…well dark."

"Oh," she said, "well you just ruined my only theory."

"Sorry," he smirked.

* * *

Their next relocation came more quickly than Hermione had expected. Like the first time Draco entered the tent in an extremely irritable mood. This time however, Hermione could tell that it was much worse. "We're leaving," he growled to her before hurrying to his room. She scrambled to her feet, stumbling when she put too much pressure on her injured leg. She sensed that something was wrong, but ignored the feeling in her anger. She followed him to his room and confronted him immediately.

"Why?" She demanded, "We didn't plan on relocating for another week."

"Well things have changed," Draco snapped, not looking at her, for fear of her realization. "Get your wand, we're leaving now," he repeated.

"What has changed?" She asked becoming impatient.

"Nothing, I've just decided that we are going to leave now. I'm sick of this place," he retorted angrily.

"You're sick of it?" Hermione exclaimed. "At least you have been able to get out of this god forsaken tent."

"Well maybe it's better if we both stay in the tent from now on," he said, knowing that his argument was not making very much sense.

"What?" she asked, a look of confusion crossing over her face.

Draco sighed, he had slipped up and now he would have to take responsibility for his actions again. "I think we've been spotted," he began slowly, ignoring the horrified expression on Hermione's face, "They probably saw me going down to the town square. I forgot to disguise myself a couple of times last week, and today I saw a Death Eater there." He watched her reaction carefully, knowing that she could explode at any moment due to his stupidity. She did not look angry, but she was not calm either. The look of horrification was still firmly in place.

"There are Death Eaters here?" She asked him, somewhat breathlessly. Draco subconsciously recognized the fear in her voice, and wished he could comfort her, or tell her it would be okay. But he knew nothing he could say would change the truth.

"Yes, only two lower rank ones, by the looks of them," he said, masking his own fear to diminish hers, "It isn't a big deal, it could be a coincidence that they are here, but I think we should relocate just to be safe."

"Yes…yes that is a good idea," she said thoughtlessly as she headed out of his room to retrieve her wand. Panic was taking over her. _What if they attack us? What if they call Voldemort? He would kill Malfoy, definitely. And probably use me to get Harry. _She thought frantically, gripping her wand at the ready. Draco came out behind her then, his wand also in hand.

"Let's do this as quickly as possible," Draco said, she made no comment so he quickly continued, "I'm going to go out first and take off all the security enchantments. I will take off the invisibility shield last, and that's when you can come out. I'll shrink the tent, and then we will side-along-apparate again." He looked at her for questions, but she merely nodded and watched him move towards the tent's entrance. A thought suddenly struck her.

"But what if they see you when you are taking off the enchantments?" She asked.

"I'll be fine, don't worry about me," Draco replied. He realized after he said it that she probably did not care about him. He scowled for letting himself believe that anyone cared for him anymore. He cleared those thoughts from his head and was pulling the entrance open, when a voice stopped him.

"Wait," Hermione called to him. She moved to his side at tapped his head sharply with her wand. The disillusionment charm was more effective that the average witch or wizard could produce on their first try, but Hermione was no average witch. Draco looked down at himself, obviously impressed.

"Nice," he commented. Hermione thought she saw him smile, but that was quite ridiculous for she could barely see him at all. She heard him leave the tent, and positioned herself at the entrance ready to leave. She peeked through the entrance watching him undo all the enchantments. A blue streak came from his wand and she could almost feel the invisibility shield lifting.

She raised her wand slightly, and hurried to his side as he shrunk and pocketed the tent. She went to grab his upper arm, but found that she could not get a good grip around his muscular biceps, so she moved her hand to his forearm. He cursed and looked down. She pulled her hand back in shock, realizing her mistake. She had grabbed his left forearm mere centimeters from where his dark mark laid.

Without a second thought, Draco grabbed her hand and they were gone. Hermione did not notice the usual discomfort of apparition; instead, her mind zoomed in on the cool hand pressed tightly against her own. Draco was also aware of the hand in his. Hermione's hand was extremely hot in contrast to his cold one. Even though they both were focusing on the odd sensations they were experiencing, they remained facing forward, and did not look at each other once.

Draco released Hermione's hand as soon as they reached their destination. They were in a dark, cold forest. All the trees were coated in a frosty, white layer of snow. "So is this where we are setting up?" Hermione asked, staring intently at the mist her breath was making.

"No, it's further in," replied Draco, looking directly ahead of them. The awkward silence grew as they walked. After a quarter of an hour, Hermione broke the silence.

"So, where are we going?" She asked curiously, because normally they would just set up on the spot.

"The Black family cottage."

* * *

**Chapter 9 Teaser :)**

_**Hermione was about to ask another question, when Draco began tapping trees. (I know it's random, but i just read this sentence and for some reason it amused me!)**_


	9. RAB

**A/N: I'm Baaaack! Sorry for the long wait, but I have a good reason (sort of). I was super busy with my midterm exams, and had a bad case of writer's block, and there were repairs being done at my house (who can write when someone is hammering away?) Anyway, here is chapter 9 and to make up for the long wait, it is an extra long chapter (I'm pretty sure it is the longest one so far)! Enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: Alas! The joy of owning Harry Potter belongs to J.K. Rowling :(**

Chapter 9 R.A.B

Hermione was about to ask another question, when Draco began tapping trees. She closed her mouth and watched him examine each tree in the small clearing. He seemed to find the one he was looking for and began pulling the different branches on that tree.

Hermione saw him pull one branch right down, and expected to hear the crack of breaking would, but she did not hear it. Moving closer she saw that the outline of a crest appeared in the trunk of the tree. She easily identified it as the Black crest. Draco pulled out a short silver knife and sliced of part of his nail.

"It needs some sort of DNA because it only opens for descendants of the Black family," Draco explained, as the crest glowed green. "Stand back," he warned her backing out of the clearing. Hermione followed suit and watched in awe as the clearing expanded and a house emerged from the ground. A plant that looked like ivy began growing from the ground just fast enough to wind its way around the entire cottage.

"It's one of the most disguised places in England," Draco stated proudly, when he saw the impressed look on her face. As they approached the cottage Hermione realized all the windows and doors had also been covered by ivy. Hermione followed Draco silently to what she assumed was the front door.

"When a new person inherits it they have to add a new feature to it," he explained as they walked. "My grandfather added the identification tree, my mother changed some interior aspects that were faulty. I added the ivy and front door identification."

"That's really extraordinary Herbology," stated Hermione, impressed at the use of this foreign ivy. "What type of ivy is it?"

"It's from Peru," he answered. They reached the front of the house and Draco pulled out his knife again. He used it to slash the ivy in front of the tree, Hermione gasped and looked at the broken ivy in terror. Draco snorted at her reaction as the ivy sprang back to life and formed a frame around the now visible front door.

He placed his hand on the doorknob, and after a moment it also glowed green. "I did that too," he smirked proudly. He hand remained on the doorknob as he opened the door, and while Hermione entered. "If I take my hand off the knob no one else can enter," he explained, letting go of the knob in demonstration. The door swung shut and Hermione heard the ivy twist back in front of the door. Then she felt the ground shake as the cottage sunk back into the ground.

"Why all the secrecy and security?" she asked, once she was out of her speechless state.

"We like our privacy, no only from random travelers or muggles, but each other also," he explained, "Since my mother inherited this estate she can control who else enters. Well technically, I control it because she passed it down to me already."

"Why did she pass it down early?" Hermione asked.

"We own so many estates it is more cautious to divide the owners. If my father went bankrupt, which is almost impossible, Gingotts could claim all of his assets, including our house. But they could not touch any of my or my mother's possessions because we each have individual accounts."

"That makes sense," said Hermione trying to wrap her head around the vast amount of money his family possessed.

"Also, with the position our family holds in the current war it only makes sense to have many possible hideouts. Which is why I chose this cottage in particular. My family has access to all our other estates. This is the only one where the owner can control who enters."

"The identification tree?" Hermione asked.

"Exactly, I've programmed it so no one except my parents or Snape can enter. Come on, I'll let you choose your guest room." He led her out of the small sitting room in which they had occupied and into the grand foyer. As they walked through the main hallway Draco pointed out the different rooms.

"There's the parlor…the kitchen…the library…Hermione?" Draco turned around and realized he lost Hermione at the word library. She stood at the open door looking at the room longingly. Draco chuckled and said, "come on Granger, it's not that great of a library. You should see the one at Malfoy Manor." She caught up with him slowly due to her injured foot. He waited in the middle of the hallway, tapping his foot impatiently, "Granger, we don't have all day…actually we do, but that's not the point."

"I'm here, sorry to keep you waiting, your majesty," she replied sarcastically.

"Really there is no need to be so sarcastic," he replied in an aristocratic manner. Hermione snorted at his attempt to sound sophisticated. "These are the three guest rooms," he said pointing them out to her, "you can take whichever you like."

"Thanks," she replied quickly before entering the first room. It was extremely elegant; everything in the room was black, white, or silver. The walls were off-white with a floral silver border and all the furniture was black. The bed was black with white and silver throw pillows. Hermione looked around in amazement. "Wow," she breathed.

"My mother redecorated all the guest rooms, but this was her favourite," said Draco quietly, who had been watching her silently from the door.

"It's gorgeous," responded Hermione politely. It was exactly the type of room she would picture someone as graceful and elegant as Mrs. Malfoy sleeping in. She, however, felt slightly out of place. So she said excitedly, "can I see the next room?" Draco moved out of her way and motioned for her to go.

The second room looked like it should have belonged to Draco's sister, if he had one. The walls were pale pink, and the bed was a dusty rose colour. It was quite girly, but still more luxurious than any room Hermione had ever slept in. Once again, Draco spoke from the door startling her, "I think you'll like the next room better."

She followed him out the door, gracious of his lack of spiteful remarks. But she thoughtlessly blurted that thought out in the form of a question, "why are you being so nice?" she demanded, "Normally you would be bragging nonstop about all the stuff you have."

He looked at her without answering, and for a moment she thought he was going to ignore her, but he answered, "well recently I've learned there are more important things." His answer was serious. Hermione felt overwhelmed. Wars had a strange effect on people she concluded.

She had never valued material things, but after living in a tent for so long she was excited at the idea of some luxury. She still valued her friends, family, education and so many other things, but now accepted that she wanted a comfortable life. Draco on the other hand, who had grown up spoiled with material things was realizing the importance of other things like love and friendship, feelings that were quite new to him.

Hermione noticed that the awkward silence had returned, but this time Draco broke it. "I know I'm ridiculously good looking Granger, but stop staring like that or your eyes will pop out," he said dryly. Hermione scoffed at his remark as she walked past him, but even he could tell her reaction was forced.

Draco was right. The last room was definitely Hermione's favourite. The walls were pale blue and the bed was navy. All the furniture was white and most of the decorations were silver. It was very airy and had a large enchanted window with sheer white curtains. Hermione once again did not notice the mildly uncomfortable silence; she was too absorbed by the simple beauty of the room.

"I take it you want this room?" Draco asked. Hermione just nodded and continued to look around the room in awe. She found a silver dressing screen and behind that there was a closed door. "That door leads to the bathroom. It will provide you with anything you need. And you could use a shower," he called to her rudely from the door.

Hermione rolled her eyes at his comment and held back a retort, "thanks," was all she said sarcastically. She knew that she could use a shower, after being on the run for months without one.

"No problem," he smirked, and then continued normally, "I'm going to freshen up too; my room is across the hall."

Hermione spent much more time than usual in the shower. She spent twenty minutes getting all the dirt and knots out of her wild hair. However, it was much easier than expected due to the special detangling potion that Hermione found.

When Hermione was finished showering she wrapped herself in a fluffy white towel. Once again the bathroom supplied some hair products that suited her. After she was done her hair was unrecognizable. It was still extremely curly, but more tamed; she actually managed to get her fingers through it – sort of.

Five minutes later Hermione emerged from the bathroom still in her towel. She was completely startled when she noticed another presence in the room.

"Oh," Hermione yelped in surprise when she walked into the little house elf. The elf tumbled backwards and landed on its backside. "I am so sorry!"

"That's quite alright, Miss," squeaked the little elf, who was now gathering the large pile of clothing she had dropped. "Master Draco sent for these items, he said to deliver them to this room for Ms. Granger."

"Thank you very much, but you can call me Hermione," she replied kindly.

"As you wish, Miss Hermione," said the elf, "Rose is happy to get anything Miss Hermione needs. Master Draco has asked Rose to take care of Miss Hermione while she is staying here."

"That's really not necessary-" began Hermione, but a male voice interrupted her, and Hermione quickly held her towel more securely.

"Thank you Rose. That will be all for now, go to the kitchen with the others," said Draco from the doorway. Rose curtsied than disappeared with a quiet pop.

"I don't need these," said Hermione gesturing to the pile of clothing with one hand, while the other remained stiffly holding her towel.

"These are better than what you've been traveling with, and quite frankly your clothes are in terrible shape," he responded trying and failing to keep eye contact. Hermione opened her mouth to comment on his wandering eyes, but he interrupted her quickly. "You change, I'm going to wait outside."

Hermione sighed angrily as she selected some items from the pile. Everything was her size. She glared at the selection of lacy, provocative knickers, but pulled on the most decent pair. Then she pulled on a pair of designer jeans, muttering, angrily to herself, "we are in the middle of a war and he insists on wasting money on designer labels." She threw on a burgundy sweater and met Draco in the hallway.

"Finally," Draco muttered when she finished, but nodding his head in approval nonetheless.

"Where are we going?" Hermione asked as he pulled her down the hallway.

"To the kitchen, I have to talk to the house elves," he replied briskly.

"Why?"

"Why do you have to ask so many questions?" He countered. Hermione huffed but did not respond. They entered the kitchen where the elves were already assembled. There were five elves in total; two were scurrying around the kitchen preparing dinner.

Another elf was running headfirst into one of the cupboards screaming, "No, no, no, Daisy won't, Daisy won't." Rose and another elf were attempting to restrain the tearful elf.

"Daisy stop," commanded Draco, releasing Hermione's arm and pulling the elf away from the cupboards. The elf stopped immediately at his command. "Elm, what happened?" Draco asked the small male elf that was helping Rose with the elf called Daisy.

"Miss Bellatrix told her to report you if you came here," squeaked the little elf nervously.

"Bellatrix was here," growled Draco.

"No, master Draco, she called for Daisy," explained Elm.

"Okay, Daisy do not report me or Granger to anyone," he ordered regaining his composure. Daisy who had been hyperventilating in Draco's arms quickly stopped and began taking deep, shaky breaths.

"Birch and Violet can you stop cooking," the elves looked horrified, but stopped immediately. "These orders apply to all of you. You are forbidden to speak to or contact any member of my family other than me with out my or Granger's permission. You are forbidden to speak to any Death Eaters, other than myself, or to the Dark Lord. If anyone is able to come here after we leave, do not tell him or her we were here. If they demand you to tell them, lie." The house elves all nodded and Birch and Violet resumed cooking.

"Did I leave any loopholes?" Draco asked looking at Hermione for the first time, and noticing the odd smile on her face. He cleared his throat awkwardly.

"No, I think you covered everything," she replied quickly covering her smile.

After a few days Draco and Hermione settled into somewhat of a routine. They would each eat breakfast alone, and meet in the library where they would scour the shelves for anything useful. The elves would bring them lunch in the library, even though the thought of ruining a book scandalized poor Hermione. Then they would eat dinner together in the dining room.

Dinner was usually the most awkward part of the day. They both ate in silence then fled the dining room. On the first night, Hermione attempted small talk. Hermione's attempt at a conversation had led to a huge argument and then flying food. So they reverted to an uncomfortable silence.

On one particular night, it was about an hour after dinner and both Draco and Hermione were situated in the drawing room. Hermione was reading on the couch while Draco was bent over the desk, his quill flying across the parchment. The silence now was not unpleasant, but it was interrupted when Violet came scurrying into the room.

"Master Malfoy," she addressed him politely, waiting for him to respond.

"Yes, Violet," he said tiredly, and when he looked up Hermione realized that he did look tired. His face was pale, there were dark circles around his eyes, and his cold demeanor had temporarily vanished.

"Violet and the other elves would like to know what you want us to prepare for tomorrow?" She asked.

"What's tomorrow?" Hermione asked quickly, looking at Draco.

"Tomorrow is Christmas eve!" Violet exclaimed happily, "Did Miss Hermione forget?"

"Christmas Eve already," exclaimed Hermione in surprise. The little elf nodded eagerly. But Draco was quick to disappoint her excitement.

"You don't have to prepare anything," responded Draco curtly. "Christmas is just another day." The elf frowned in disappointment, but curtsied anyway before leaving the room. Hermione, on the other hand, felt a great surge of happiness at the thought of Christmas. She fell asleep with memories of previous Christmases running through her mind.

Hermione woke to the sounds of shuffling feet in her room. She sat up, rubbing her eyes groggily.

"Miss Hermione, are you awake?" whispered Rose. Hermione nodded watching the elf curiously. "Rose wants to know if you would like to buy Master Draco a present for Christmas?"

Rose caught Hermione off guard, she had not expected this. "But I thought he told you not to do anything for Christmas?"

"No, Miss Hermione. He told us we didn't have to do anything, not that we _couldn't_. He rarely gives us proper orders, so when he tries there are usually loopholes." Rose explained happily. "So would you like Rose to purchase something for you to give him?"

"Um, sure," responded Hermione. She was not sure that it was a good idea, but the little elf seemed so hopeful, so Hermione could not say no.

"What would you like me to get?"

"I don't know," sighed Hermione. "Well, he likes quidditch." Rose nodded vigorously at this point encouraging Hermione. "I know! One year Harry got a broom servicing kit. Maybe something like that."

"That is an excellent idea Miss Hermione!" Squeaked Rose cheerfully. She left the room in high spirits, with a spring in her step that caused the gold Hermione had given her to jingle loudly. It was only after Rose left that Hermione started to have doubts. What if he felt awkward for not getting her a gift? She thought anxiously, not knowing that while Rose convinced her of the gift idea, Elm was convincing Draco.

"Master Draco, it would be rude not to get Miss Hermione a present," persuaded Elm carefully.

"You used to love Christmas," said Elm, trying a different angle. "Why are you so depressed by it this year?" Draco refused to answer, and merely scowled.

"You're not going to leave me alone until I agree are you?" Draco asked menacingly. Elm shook his head knowing that he had succeeded. "Fine then," Draco snapped.

"So what shall we get her for you?" Elm said, careful not to show his true excitement.

"Not a book!" Draco said decisively. "She reads too much already."

"Perfume?" Elm suggested. Draco shook his head deep in thought.

"I know!" Draco said suddenly. "Don't worry about getting her something, I'll handle it." Elm looked unsure, but nodded and hurried out of the room to tell the other elves.

* * *

"I found something!" Draco exclaimed looking over at Hermione's empty chair. He peered around the library finding her in one of her usual spots, in front of the Black Family Tree. She tended to migrate there when she was in deep thought. He noticed her fascination with the tapestry, and was sure it was due to the history it held.

But Draco could tell today was different. On most days she would pace back on forth running her fingers along the fine silk, occasionally stopping when she recognized a name. Now she was standing stalk still, her mouth open and eyes widened. "Dr…Draco," she stuttered. The use of his first name did not go unnoticed by him. But he dropped the large tomb he was holding, only pausing to mark the page, and went quickly to her side.

"R.A.B.," she whispered pointing to a spot on the tapestry. He followed her finger to a picture of Regulus Arcturus Black.

"He was my mum's cousin," Draco explained slowly not comprehending her shock.

"I know that," said Hermione coming out of reverie. "He also has the initials that were on the faux Horcrux Harry and Dumbledore found." She said quickly explaining the story.

"So, you think that he has the real Horcrux?" Draco asked.

"I'm sure of it," she said quickly. "He was a Death Eater, got cold feet and then was killed. It would make sense. But we still need to find the locket." She rambled off.

Draco was not looking at her anymore, but was pulling out his wand. "Malfoy what are you doing?" She asked suddenly.

"Do you see that little scorch mark next to my aunt Bellatrix?" He asked.

"Yes, but-," she began.

"I did that when I was twelve. It was an accident, but I found a skull in a hole behind her name. I found it going through one of the secret passages. I tried to get out through this side, but it didn't work. That's when I realized that the tapestry was blocking the exit."

"Do you think he hid the locket…" Hermione's voice trailed away, and Draco nodded. He poked his wand at Regulus' head and found that it was hollow behind the tapestry.

"How do we get to it?" Hermione asked. But Draco was one step ahead of her he pulled a pocketknife out of his pocket and began carving the tapestry around the hollow part. He tried to shove his hand in the hole, but it was too big.

"Damn," he cursed pulling it out.

"Here, I'll try," said Hermione as she slid her hand into the hole. She felt around blindly until her hand closed around something cold. She pulled her hand out revealing a locket with an S engraved on it.

She gasped in amazement at what they had discovered, but her gasp changed into one of sheer pain and she looked at the locket in horror. She felt a tight sensation close around her chest and she lost the ability to breathe. She began gasping for air clutching at her neck.

Draco looked horrified as he tried a variety of spells to destroy it, forgetting about the methods he found in the book he had been reading only moments before. Finally he grabbed the locket from her hand and threw it across the room.

Still gasping for air Hermione collapsed colliding with his chest. He grabbed her instinctively, supporting her weight. When her breathing slowed she pulled away from him and his arms slid off her quickly.

"Thanks," she breathed.

"Come on, you should sit down," he led her to the chair he had previously occupied; handing her the book he had been reading. He crossed the room quickly and picked up the locket carefully. Hermione did not notice, she was engrossed in the book, but the locket had no major effects on Draco, just a cold feeling in the pit of his stomach.

"It says here: _Only very powerful magical substances or objects can destroy a Horcrux_," she read aloud, her voice still weak and her breathing shallow. "_These include but are not limited to Basilisk venom, and Fiendfyre. Phoenix tears and Solution de l'eau are expected to have the same result, but this theory has not been tested._"

"Obviously they don't know about Gryffindor's sword," she said absentmindedly. She looked at Draco for the first time, noticing the locket in his hand.

"What are you doing? Are you crazy?" She exclaimed. Then she realized that the locket did not have the same effects on him. "Why isn't it hurting you?"

"I'm not sure," Draco said at first, not wanting to offend her. "It depends. You said this was Slytherin's locket, so he could have enchanted it so no muggle, or muggle born could touch it." Hermione opened her mouth angrily.

"Realistically, the Dark Lord could have done that too," he continued. "But he also could have enchanted it so only Death Eaters could touch it."

"Oh," Hermione said quietly. Draco grimaced. He hated that reaction. She knew he had the mark; did she have to make him feel worse about it?

"We should probably get rid of it as soon as possible," decided Hermione, trying to cover the awkwardness. "It can't be safe to travel with such a dark object."

Draco nodded but did not answer. He looked back at the book, rereading a certain passage. Hermione began rambling again, "I wouldn't use Fiendfyre, because it's too dangerous if it gets out of control and we don't have any basilisk venom or Phoenix tears. I've never even heard of Solution de L'eau."

"I have," said Draco uncertainly. "The term is familiar, but I can't remember where I've seen it.

"We've done really well today," sighed Hermione happily as she returned all her books. They left the library quite amiably, both excited at the day's result. The entered the dining room in high spirits. The elves had prepared a special meal for Christmas Eve, and it was the first time there was no awkwardness at dinner. Once again Hermione fell asleep happy, not only with excitement for Christmas morning, but also with their success in finding the locket.

* * *

**A/N: I hope you enjoyed that chapter. **

**ooo btw I just finished watching A Very Potter Sequel (finally! I know!) it was awesome! For those of you who haven't seen AVPM or AVPS you MUST WATCH THEM they are incredible. And yay for Darren Criss because he is also on Glee :)**

**Chapter 10: Christmas Surprises (It feels weird posting a holiday chapter in March, but w/e)**

**_SPOILER! (For the fanficiton, not from Harry Potter...)  
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**_Did someone say mistletoe? ;)_**


	10. Christmas!

**A/N: Finally some intense Dramione action in this chapter, so I won't bore you with a long authour's note about why it took me a little long to update ;) - In my defense this chapter was supposed to go up more than a week ago, but I've been having trouble updating on the site.  
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I have to admit that I was starting to get bored with this story (gasp!) especially since I haven't actually written anything in months! But this week I got this crazy burst of writing inspiration, so not only have I been able to continue writing this story, I am also outlining my next fanfiction! I wish I could write like this all the time, I really don't know where to start these days. Sorry I started rambling, what I wanted to say was that I went through and edited all the previous chapters in this story, and I've changed some of the chapter titles :)  
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Also thank you so much for your reviews on the last chapter: Lissie1994, elizaII, and xoRetributionox**

**Disclaimer: All rights to J.K. Rowling**

Chapter 10 – Christmas! 

Hermione woke cheerfully on Christmas morning. After taking a quick shower she realized that all her clothes had been removed from her trunk. She looked in the wardrobe, where she had stored all the clothes Malfoy had bought. They were also gone. All that was left was a pair of jeans and a bright red sweater with a giant snowflake on it.

"Oh no," she sighed as she changed into the sweater. Her suspicious were confirmed when she left her room. The hallway was lavishly decorated with garlands of holly, tinsel, and twinkling lights. On her way to the dining room, she bumped into Daisy who was enchanting mistletoe to hang on the ceiling. Hermione moved away from it hesitantly.

"Miss Hermione," said Daisy, "We will be serving breakfast in the Drawing room today."

"Okay," Hermione replied, "Is Malfoy up yet?"

"Yes, Miss Hermione," replied Daisy, "He's waiting in the Drawing room."

Hermione gasped in delight when she entered the Drawing room. It was even more decorated than the hallways. There was a huge Christmas tree in the center of the room and it was covered in silver and gold ornaments. There was a small pile of presents under the tree.

Draco was already seated on the couch with a half-eaten cinnamon bun in one hand and The Daily Prophet in the other. When he heard her enter he dropped the bun back on his dish and stood up in surprise. Hermione saw that he was also wearing a ridiculous Christmas sweater; his was green with a Christmas tree on it.

"Happy Christmas," she greeted.

"Happy Christmas," he replied with an awkward smile. "Cinnamon bun," he offered holding out the dish for her. She took one.

"Thanks," she said taking a bite, "Mmm, these are really good."

"Are you going to open your presents now?" Asked Rose eagerly as the other elves entered behind her.

"I don't know," he said seriously, winking subtly at Hermione, who felt her cheeks warm slightly. "We have a lot to do today, maybe we can leave them until tomorrow." Rose who had been shaking with excitement stopped, and her mouth formed a small pout, but did not protest to her Master's wish.

"I was just joking Rose," Draco sniggered. A toothy grin broke on to Rose's wrinkled face. She quickly grabbed two presents and handed them to Hermione and Draco. "These are from Birch and Violet."

"Thanks," said Hermione looking at the two elves that normally work in the kitchen. They both unwrapped their gifts. Hermione was happy that she had taken the time to knit each elf personalized quilt; similar to the one she made Kreacher. She was also ecstatic when Draco also gave them presents. Most of his gifts were household items, but the elves were extremely grateful for his generosity.

Hermione got a slab of homemade old-fashioned fudge, and Draco got homemade toffee. Daisy gave Hermione a new purse and got Draco a set of elegant black and silver quills. Rose made Hermione a black cocktail dress, and bought Draco a new set of dress robes. Hermione was curious as to where the elves had gotten the money to buy the presents, but she did not voice her curiosity.

"These are for you to wear for Christmas tea," she explained quickly. Hermione thanked her, but was not at all eager to wear the dress. It was much too provocative for her liking. Birch stood up handing them his presents. He got Hermione a wizard camera, and Draco a photo album filled with some of his childhood pictures.

Draco blushed slightly when he opened the album and saw a picture of himself running around in a diaper and covered in birthday cake. Hermione who had glimpsed the picture over his shoulder burst out laughing. His blush deepened, and he pulled the book away, but Hermione was quick and grabbed it out of his hands.

"Hey!" Draco exclaimed. "Give that back!" Hermione jumped off the couch taking the book with her. She sprinted around the couch, but Draco jumped over it and tackled her to the ground. She let out a shriek as they hit the ground. Once they shock of the impact was over, Hermione struggled to get up half laughing as she did so.

Draco was still partially on top of her, stopping her from getting up. Hermione looked up at him quickly and was caught off guard when she caught him staring at her. His eyes had a semi glazed over quality. Hermione cleared her throat quietly; he seemed to be back to normal. He jumped off her dusting himself off, and then walked back to the couch leaving her on the floor. Hermione rolled her eyes, but got off the ground without complaint.

"Master Draco, are you and Miss Hermione going to exchange gifts now?" Asked Elm.

"Sure," Draco replied tersely eager to end the awkward moments. Elm hurried forward holding the last two presents. Hermione unwrapped the gift and saw a long, rectangular box. She snuck a look at Draco who had just finished opening his present.

"Wow, thanks Granger," he complimented as he looked through the broom kit. Hermione smiled as she opened her box. She gasped when she saw its contents. Inside the box was a gold chain with a crystal.

"If you look on the crystal there," he said pointing to a spot on the front of the crystal. "There is an engraving of an owl on the back." Hermione looked at the spot he showed her and saw the little owl engraved. When she held it to the light it sparkled and

shot out rainbow prisms of light.

"Wow," she breathed.

"It's supposed to bring good luck," Draco explained. "It symbolizes Athena. She's the Greek goddess of Wisdom."

Hermione was temporarily speechless, "I can't accept this. Seriously it's much too valuable." Hermione exclaimed once her voice had returned to her.

"Granger, if you haven't noticed, my family is loaded," Draco replied, "At least you'll appreciate its historical value. All my family cared about was how much it was worth."

Hermione hesitated, holding the delicate gold chain between her fingers. She looked up. "Can I really keep it?" She asked. Draco nodded smirking at her reaction. She threw herself at him, wrapping her arms around his neck, "Thank you so much!"

Draco was stalk still in her embrace, unsure of what to do in response to her display of appreciation. Behind Hermione Elm grabbed Rose and motioned for Draco to hug Hermione back. Draco put his arms around her, leaving them gently on her lower back. Nonetheless he glared at Elm - it wasn't as if he had never hugged a girl before!

It was possibly the most awkward hug the elves had ever witnessed, so after a moment of sniggering at the pair. Birch took pity on them and knocked a small glass ornament off the tree. It hit the ground with a clang, and the two pulled away from each other quickly. Birch scurried to grab the fallen ornament while the two subtly moved away from each other.

"Maybe we should get back to working on the Horcruxes," Draco suggested, abruptly ending their Christmas celebration."

"Um, sure," replied Hermione. She collected her presents as she got up, and called behind her as she tried to hurry away, "I'll just put these in my room."

"I'll get those, Miss Hermione," interrupted Rose, taking the gifts from Hermione and scurrying out of the room. Birch did the same thing with Draco's gifts.

"Christmas tea will be served at 3:30," squeaked Violet as she, Daisy and Birch headed to the kitchen to start preparing it.

"Come on, I found something that should destroy the Horcrux in the locket," Draco told her as they left the drawing room.

"Already! How?" Hermione exclaimed excitedly. They were going to the basement, a part of the house Hermione had not yet been to.

"You'll see," Draco replied. Draco led Hermione through a vault like door, complete with a four-digit pin code and a variety of security enchantments. The basement was less creepy than Hermione had previously imagined. Instead of dark, grimy dungeons, the room they entered was all stainless steel and lit with bright fluorescent lighting.

"What is this place?" Hermione asked, squinting from the bright light. She blinked a few more times to adjust her eyes.

"Supply room," he said blankly. "We've had it forever; I don't know why it was built though."

The room astonished Hermione. There was a large, shiny counter in the middle of the room with several cauldrons on it. Three of the walls were shelves filled with tiny glass phials. Hermione walked around the room looking at each different phial, each one had a different substance in it. Some were potions ingredients, other magical substances. Hermione was especially fascinated by a selection of phials that contained the products of different spells.

"What does this mean?" Hermione asked, pulling out a phial labeled _Crucio_.

"It holds the Cruciatus curse," Draco explained. "If you uncork it, it will have the same effect as if someone performed it on you."

"Oh," Hermione responded absent mindedly, as she looked at similar phials. Meanwhile Draco was on the opposite side of the room, searching determinedly through one section.

"Found it!" He called, pulling a phial down from a shelf. It was filled with a translucent, light blue liquid. Draco swirled the contents for Hermione to see. As soon as he twirled the bottle the liquid morphed into a wave like shape, then a variety of under water creatures. There was a grindyglow, a mermaid, and another creature Hermione didn't recognize. The label on the phial read _Solution de L'eau_.

"What is Solution de L'eau?" Hermione asked running her fingers along the smooth glass to hold it more securely. One of her fingers hit Draco's lightly, and his long, lean fingers flexed in response to her touch. He handed Hermione the bottle, keeping his hands as far away from hers as possible. She took the bottle looking at it closely, swirling it and watching the liquid transform into the various creatures.

"Have you heard of Fiendfyre?" Draco asked. Hermione nodded without looking at him and he continued. "Solution de L'eau is the only way to extinguish it, other than the counter curse, which is relatively difficult to perform right. If it is done wrong, the fire will double in size."

"Fiendfyre and Solution de L'eau are both methods to destroy Horcruxes," Draco said simply. Hermione's jaw dropped in realization.

Draco pulled the locket from his pocket and set it in the middle of the counter. "Would you like to do the honours?" He asked offering her the phial. She shook her head.

"No, you can," she said pushing the bottle back into his hand. "You found most of the stuff."

"Are you sure?" he asked her uncertainly. She nodded and they looked at the locket lying innocently on the counter top. Draco broke the wax seal on the bottle, and then uncorked it. Using his wand he guided the blue liquid towards the Horcrux. As if it sensed the magic approaching it starting moving across the counter, like two same sides of a magnet. Draco reached for it holding it in place; it wriggled in his hand attempting to escape.

"Shit," he cursed, pulling his hand back quickly. "It burnt me!" The locket started wriggling again. Hermione pulled out her wand and froze the locket in place and then used it to help Draco guide the Solution de L'eau toward the locket.

When the Solution finally made contact with the locket there was a loud screeching noise, like nails on a chalkboard. Hermione winced, but kept her wand arm as steady as possible, which was difficult due to the pressure vibrating off the locket. It was slowing turning black, and just when it turned completely black the screeching stopped.

"I think it's over," Hermione sighed, once the pressure on her hand stopped. She hesitantly picked up the charcoal locket. The searing pain didn't start this time, assuring Hermione that they had indeed destroyed the Horcrux within the locket. She ran her thumb over the surface of the locket removing the black coating. Draco observed her quietly.

"I can't believe we did it," she exclaimed happily. They were now making their way back upstairs to freshen up for Christmas tea. Hermione changed into the black dress that Rose had bought for her. It was laid out on her bed along with a pair of gold earrings, and the necklace Draco had given her.

She put on the earrings and fastened the chain around her neck. After applying some light makeup, she dabbed some perfume on her wrists and neck, and went to the dining room for tea. Draco wasn't there yet, so she waited patiently at the table while the elves scurried around with a variety of dishes, each one complimenting her appearance as they passed.

When Draco finally entered the elves had finished setting up the tea. He sat down across from Hermione and they began to eat. Once again their success with the Horcrux prevented the awkward silence.

"So why do you think Regulus Black wanted to destroy it in the first place?" Draco asked as he bit into a piece of turkey.

"He got cold feet," Hermione said simply. "He obviously didn't know what he was getting into. Once he realized how psychotic you-know-who's plans were he wanted out."

"He was an idiot," Draco countered. "Once you are involved with something like this, you know that it's follow orders or die. He was stupid to try and back out."

"He wasn't an idiot, he was brave. He knew he was probably going to die, but he still tried to right his wrongs. And if I remember correctly you also backed out on the same group." Hermione replied testily.

"That was different," he spat, "I was forced to join, I didn't have a choice."

"Everyone has a choice," Hermione said tartly. The two were standing in front of the table by this point, subconsciously moving closer with each statement.

"Of course _you_ would say that," he replied icily.

"What is that supposed to mean?" She asked angrily.

"You've never had to stand up for anything," he retorted. "Perfect Granger, with her perfect grades, her prefect friends, and her perfect life."

"My life is not perfect," exclaimed Hermione. Draco scoffed in response, and the pair continued to glare at each other. Rose used this moment to enchant mistletoe to grow above them. Daisy and Birch shook their heads at her, but Rose paid them no mind and Elm encouraged her quietly. As soon as she was done they entered the dining area pointing excitedly at the mistletoe.

"Mistletoe," exclaimed Rose happily, trying and failing to look surprised.

"Rose," Draco warned her, stepping away from Hermione.

"But Master Draco, you must kiss Miss Hermione. It's a tradition!" exclaimed Rose, and then added in a loud whisper, "If you don't you will hurt Miss Hermione's feelings."

"Really Rose," intervened Hermione quickly, "We don't have to, it's no big deal. I won't be offended at all."

"What?" Asked Draco suddenly, "You were all excited about Christmas this morning. Are you saying that you don't want to kiss me?"

"Of course I don't," replied Hermione becoming angry again.

"Why not?" He demanded, equally angry.

"Because you are an annoying, self-righteous, pig-headed, ass! And…" She was cut off there because at that moment Draco stepped forward and grabbed her by the nape of her neck of pulling her towards him forcefully.

Their mouths crashed together. Hermione's eyes closed easily, as she fell into the kiss. She felt his hand loosen on the back of her neck as she responded passionately. She twisted her arms tightly around his neck and he ran his hand through her hair, clutching it in his fist. His other hand was at the small of her back pulling her even closer. Neither one noticed that Rose and Birch had retreated to the kitchen and were watching them smugly.

Draco's tongue flashed hotly across Hermione's lower lip. She did not move at first, but he bit her lip lightly, than tried to nudge them apart with his tongue. Her lip trembled before allowing him into her mouth. She let out a soft moan as he explored her mouth fervently. After what felt like several moments Draco pulled away. Hermione's eyes widened in shock and she backed away slowly.

"Oh my…" she whispered softly, her voice fading. "Um, I have to…go." She sped out of the room leaving the door open behind her. Draco watched her run towards her room until she turned a corner and he could no longer see her. He stood alone in the middle of the room, unbelieving of what had just happened.

Hermione slammed the door to her room and leaned against it breathing heavily. That was unexpected, not only was he offended when she didn't want to kiss him, but he kissed her, he actually kissed her. Draco Malfoy kissed her! She wasn't sure how she should react. Four years ago she would have hexed anyone who suggested it.

She focused back on the years trying to figure out when her hatred for him changed. Three years ago she was infatuated with Viktor Krum, but she realized that was just a crush, which she had naively mistaken for love. He could barely pronounce her name, let alone have an intelligent conversation with her. And when they kissed there was no magnetic pull or passion. He was a great kisser, but they just didn't click.

In sixth year she thought her and Ron had made progress, but then he started dating Lavender Brown. She remembered taking Cormac McLaggen to Slughorn's Christmas party, but that was only to annoy Ron. Looking back on that Hermione felt ashamed, she knew now that she didn't love Ron that way. But she interfered because of her petty jealousy and infatuation.

She sighed, and began changing into her pajamas. When she was finished she snuggled into bed and tried to sleep, but her mind kept wandering back to their kiss and the feel of his lips on hers. They were so soft, yet firm and… No she was not going there again.

Her mind began to wander again and she finally decided when she stopped hating Draco. It was the end of last year, when Harry had told her that he was lowering his wand and that he wasn't going to kill Dumbledore. It didn't make her like him, at the time, but it reassured her that he had some morals left. What she couldn't decided was when she started to develop deeper feelings for him, it was sometime in the last few weeks, but she couldn't pinpoint a time because she had not realized it until now. She fell into an uneasy sleep. Her dream was clouded with Horcruxes, Draco, and for some reason Ron looking angry and betrayed.

* * *

**Sneak Peak of Chapter 11: "Will you both SHUT UP?" -Hmmm I wonder who could be saying that? Well, not really...I already know :D**


	11. The Boys Are Back In Town

**A/N: Ok so here is chapter eleven! I got this chapter up extra quickly, and everyone can thank NessaWayMalfoy because she motivated me to get this up so fast! :)**

**Thanks for all the lovely reviews: FiOnAFiO, mydirt09, xoRetributionox, and a very special thank you to NessaWayMalfoy for All of your awesome reviews - I didn't mind you spamming my review page at all! So this chapter is dedicated to you! :D **

**Disclaimer: I sitll own nothing! Though I am running out of unique disclaimers, why is so hard to understand that J.K. Rowling is awesome, and I am not - Ok I'm not AS awesome as she is ;)**

Chapter Eleven – The Boys are Back in Town

The next few days were awkward for Hermione. She and Draco were avoiding each other completely. For all Hermione knew Draco could have locked himself in his room or left the cottage all together. He never came down for meals, and did Hermione the courtesy of staying far from the Library, which is where she was spending all her time now.

Unlike her previous days in the library these constant hours were unhelpful. Her mind kept wandering. She felt confused and guilty. Confused because her stupid hormones had gotten her into this embarrassing mess, and now she didn't know what to think or feel. She felt guilty because Harry told her to be careful, and not only did she tell Draco everything about the Horcruxes, but she kissed him too. Harry and Ron would hate her if they found out, or they would kill him.

She left the library earlier than normal that night. It was almost 10:30 and her late nights were taking a toll on her body. Instead of rushing back to her bedroom she moved slowly drowsiness weighing down her every move. On her way there she bumped into the very person she spent days trying to avoid.

"Oof," she said as they collided and he knocked the air out of her. "Sorry Draco," she yawned as she moved away from him quickly.

"No problem," he said, once again noticing the use of his first name. He cursed himself for liking the way it sounded. She started to walk towards her room.

"Granger," he called. She stopped and turned to face him.

"Yes," she asked. He hesitated, not wanting to apologize for the kiss, but feeling that it was necessary.

"I'm sorry," he started, but she cut him off.

"Don't be," replied Hermione quickly, knowing exactly what he was talking about. "It was both of our faults…and Rose's." Draco laughed shortly, please by her somewhat witty response.

"Anyway," she continued. "It can be our little secret." She hoped he understood her meaning.

"Since we are on that topic, I think we should regroup with Potter soon," he said, proving that he did indeed know what she was talking about.

"When?" She asked eager to see her best friends again.

"I was thinking we would meet at midnight on New Year's Eve," he replied, mildly jealous at her obvious excitement. Was he not good enough company for her? He numbed his anger by reminding himself that hating her friends would not help their relationship. Then he had to remind himself that they were not in a relationship. Why did everything in his life have to be so complicated?

"The Death Eaters are human. They need breaks too, so they'll probably be out getting drunk, and we should have an easier time meeting them."

"Good idea," she said yawning again. "Can we talk about this tomorrow? I'm really tired."

"Um, sure," he said, "Night Granger." He leaned forward suddenly and kissed her on the cheek. Hermione stiffened immediately, and he leaned back just as quickly. She walked the rest of the way to her room quickly. Just as she was about to enter she looked back at him.

"Good Night," she called. He nodded at her distractedly and closed his bedroom door.

The next morning Draco and Hermione had breakfast together and started planning for their reunion with Harry and Ron.

"Have you been contacting them at all?" Draco asked casually as they ate.

"Yeah," Hermione said after swallowing. "We've been using the coins we used to communicate for the DA in fifth year."

"The rest of the DA knows what is going on!" He exclaimed letting his fork clatter to the table.

"No of course not," laughed Hermione. "I disconnected ours from the others, so they're secure."

"That's good," Draco stated, not bothering to think about how advanced her magic was. "We can use them to contact Potter and chose a meeting place, and from the meeting place we'll have to apparate together."

"That makes sense," Hermione decided. They had both finished their breakfasts by this point, so they left the room and started to drift towards the library. The library had been their comfort zone for most of their stay there, because conversation was rarely necessary, but today their conversation flowed almost easily.

"Since we're going to be leaving, I figure we can use these last two days to get more information," Draco said. Hermione nodded and she quickly began pulling books off the lower shelf, while Draco got the books from the higher shelves.

They began taking notes in silence. Hermione was rushing through each book taking quick notes in elegant cursive, while Draco also took notes, though at a slightly slower pace. And that is how they passed the remainder of the two days.

Draco and Hermione's last day together came quickly, and surprisingly Hermione was satisfied with all the information they had gathered. After breakfast they both returned to their rooms to pack. Hermione packed everything neatly, but it was a tight fit with the new clothes Draco had gotten her. He said she could keep them, and she decided it would be a waste if she didn't use them.

Hermione was anxious to be with Harry and Ron again. But she knew that the transition would not be easy from living in the manor to living in a tent again. So she used the afternoon to take a long luxurious bubble bath. She enjoyed it thoroughly, knowing that she probably would not have one for months. She also made sure to look up a variety of cleaning spells, she even found one that would clean and tame her unruly curls.

Their last dinner was incredible. The elves had gone all out preparing a savory last meal. Hermione relished in the luxury of it, feeling slightly guilty for she knew Harry and Ron were not enjoying the same perks.

"Elm," Draco called, when they were finished. The elf appeared at Draco's side bowing. "You and Rose help clean up from dinner. We are going to change into something more suitable for travel."

Hermione realized what he meant. Rose had once again chosen special outfits for the occasion. It was New Year's Eve and she had forced Hermione to wear another dress, this one was a plum colour, and if possible even shorter than the last. But Hermione had successfully lengthened it without Rose's noticing.

When she got back to her room she noticed the time for the first time that evening. It was almost nine o'clock, so they had a few hours before they left. She changed into a pair of dark blue jeans and a baby blue t-shirt with a navy sweater on top. Rose had warned her that it was freezing outside. So she also grabbed her winter traveling cloak, mittens, hat, and her Gryffindor scarf.

She met Draco in the Drawing room at ten o'clock like they had planned. He was lounging on the couch with his traveling cloak and winter wear slung over the arm of his chair. She cleared her throat announcing her presence. He looked over the couch at her and nodded, but stopped suddenly when his eyes saw her striped Gryffindor scarf.

"You can't wear that scarf," he said getting off the couch. "It's too attention catching." He left the room and returned a moment later holding a dark blue scarf.

"Thanks," said Hermione taking the scarf and leaving it with her and Draco's outerwear. Time was passing quickly and before they knew it, it was just past eleven o'clock. Draco called the elves at this point as they were preparing the final items for their departure. In a line all the elves entered the room and bowed to Draco.

"Okay," Draco began, "Granger and I are leaving. All of you are going to go to…" Draco trailed off not knowing where to send them.

"What about Hogwarts?" Hermione suggested. Draco considered the idea for a moment before continuing.

"That's a good idea," Draco finally decided. "You'll all go to work at Hogwarts temporarily. Now when you get there go directly to Professor Snape, do not speak to anyone until you see him. Once you see him explain our situation and tell him I sent you there. Do not tell anyone else that you have seen or spoken to us."

The elves all nodded their understanding. "Go now," Draco commanded. After several _pops_ all the elves were gone, and Draco and Hermione were alone.

"We have to leave in a few minutes," Draco said checking the expensive silver watch that was on his wrist.

Draco and Hermione pulled on their traveling cloaks and made their way to the front door, where they pulled on their hats, scarves and mittens. Hermione secured her purse beneath her cloak.

"Okay, it's 11:45, let's go," Draco said. He pulled out his wand once they were at the front door. He tapped it three times and muttered a spell Hermione did not recognize. Almost immediately the ground began to shake, and the house started to rise to ground level. Hermione lost her balance almost falling into Draco.

"Sorry," she muttered, as he clutched her arm steadying her. The shaking stopped and Draco opened the door, once again slashing through the ivy. Once they were out of the house Hermione felt the cool night air blast against her. Rose was right, it was freezing! The house sunk back into the ground behind them.

They began walking through the forest towards the clearing where they had arrived. Hermione moved closer to Draco, trying to stay warm. He noticed her stealthy movements towards him and chuckled at her attempts at an innocent expression. He threw his arm around her casually.

Hermione didn't say anything, and they walked on in silence. They made it back to the clearing ahead of schedule. Hermione waited anxiously in the clearing, while Draco was continually checking his watch.

"11:59," he said, removing his arm from her shoulders and grasping her arm instead. They watched the time together and Hermione saw it change to midnight.

"Happy New Year," he said quietly. He pulled her arm like he usually did when they were about to apparate, but instead he pulled her towards him kissing her lips softly. He then apparated them quickly, and Hermione was left, once again, in shock from his kiss.

They arrived at the decided location before Harry and Ron. Hermione had just a moment to collect her expression before they arrived. They appeared two minutes later and Draco was not pleased.

"You're late," he growled as Hermione grabbed Harry's arm before either of them could reply. They apparated to the second location all together and set up the tent getting into it quickly. As soon as they were in Hermione threw herself into Harry's arms and then dragged Ron into the group hug. Draco let her enjoy the hug for a moment before interrupting it with gagging sounds.

"Malfoy," Harry acknowledged stiffly.

"Potter," Draco replied curtly. Hermione sighed in mild relief and beamed and Draco and Harry. She had forgotten that the boys had not yet seen Draco. She had become so accustomed to his company that she had almost forgotten their sworn rivalry. Almost.

She waited anxiously for Ron's explosion, but it didn't come. She saw Ron's expression change from anger to betrayal, but could not understand why. This could not be good. Ron did not blow up. He glared at Draco for a moment, than cast a wary glance to Hermione.

"I'm going on first watch," he grunted before storming out of the tent.

"Oh dear," Hermione said softly. This was worse than his normal anger. Draco snorted and made a show of claiming the top bunk of one of the beds. Hermione sighed in defeat and looked at Harry sadly.

"Who's sharing the bunk with him?" Harry whispered to her. Hermione frowned then walked towards the bottom bunk of the bed. Draco sat up and looked over the side at her, then lied back down without commenting. She pulled the curtain around her and changed quickly before settling into bed.

"Good Night Harry," she called.

"Are you taking the next shift?" He asked before she went to sleep.

"Yes, and you can take the last one," she replied easily returning to their old routines.

"Okay, sweet dreams," he called from the other bunk.

"Do you want me to take a shift before Potter?" Draco called down to Hermione. Harry looked up at him mildly surprised by his offer.

"Sure," Hermione responded, less surprised than Harry, but still surprised.

"Okay, 'night," he yawned.

"Good night Draco," Hermione said. The simple use of his name caused Harry to crick his neck because he turned to face Hermione so quickly. Draco snickered at him, and Hermione gave him a disapproving look, but did not comment to either of them.

A few hours later Hermione felt a sharp pain in her arm and jerked awake. Ron was standing above her.

"Your turn," he muttered sullenly. Hermione jumped out of bed rubbing her arm, and grabbed Ron before he could walk away.

"What's your problem?" She asked him, while pulling on her cloak above her pajamas.

"I don't have a problem," he replied stubbornly. Hermione usually had no patience for his stubbornness, but after being away from him for so long she endured it.

"Come on Ron, I don't know what your problem is, but I want to help," she said kindly. Ron sighed and walked outside with her and sat down in front of the tent. Hermione shivered and he wrapped his warm arm around her.

"So how was living with the Malfoy," he asked, attempting indifference, but peeking at her from the corner of his eye. Hermione had expected this and phrased her answer carefully.

"Better than expected," she answered truthfully, and then lied a bit to make Ron feel better. "We ignored each other mostly."

"He didn't try anything, did he?" Ron asked uncertainly.

"Of course not Ron!" Hermione exclaimed. "And if he did, you know I can take care of myself."

"I know, Hermione," Ron sighed. "But how do we know he isn't tricking us?"

"You have to trust him," responded Hermione hesitantly, "I do."

Ron sighed, knowing he could not persuade Hermione to see things his way. "Fine," he said removing his arm from his shoulders as he got up. He re-entered the tent and after a while Hermione heard his snoring signaling that he was also asleep. She peered around her at the dark forest, pulling her cloak tightly around her. She checked her watch regularly counting the minutes until her shift was over. This was one part of hiding Hermione hated.

Yawning Hermione stretched and went back inside the tent. "Draco," she whispered up to his bunk. No answer. "Draco!" She hissed more loudly. Still no answer. She climbed halfway up the ladder.

"Draco," she repeated. She leaned forward and shook his arm.

"Huh, whaappend?" Draco muttered sleepily sitting up and rubbing his eyes. His hair fell over his eyes, and Hermione realized this was the first time she had seen him sleeping. They had separate rooms in his tent and at the manor.

"Your turn to guard the tent," she whispered.

"Okay," he muttered pulling off his blanket, revealing his bare chest. She averted her eyes, but couldn't stop herself from noticing his well tone chest. Draco smirked at her averted eyes. "Excuse me," he said trying not to laugh at her blush.

"Oh sorry," she mumbled and climbed off the ladder quickly. He jumped down after her in his pajama pants. "You might want to put a shirt on, it's cold out," snapped Hermione catching his smirk. He pulled one on at her request, and his voice was muffled through the shirt. "Did you have a nice chat with Weasel?"

"It could have been worse," she replied calmly, ignoring his name-calling.

"You know, we will never get along," he replied, knowing exactly what she was hoping for.

"How do you know?" She asked. "You've never tried!"

"And I'm not going to start now," he warned her, crushing her hopes. "Why do you want us to get along anyway?"

His question stumped her. Why did she want them to get along? He left her standing there and went to sit guard. After a moment she gave up thinking of possible reasons, and went to bed.

Hermione awoke early that morning because a sudden, urgent thought struck her. She did not tell the boys about R.A.B and the locket. They were all so tired when they arrived last night that they just went straight to bed. She looked towards the table and noticed that Harry and Ron were already awake. She changed behind her curtain then joined them at the table. She was glad to have this chance to talk to them without Draco's presence. Harry still chose to cast _mufflito_ for extra privacy.

She quickly explained about the followers that caused them to flee to Black manor and all the events that followed excluding anything intimate that happened. They listened to her story intently, but with some disapproval at her telling Draco about the Horcruxes.

"If I hadn't told him we wouldn't have destroyed the locket," she snapped at Ron's accusatory tone.

"I'm sure you could have figured it out on your own," replied Ron.

"Look, I told you last night, I trust him," snapped Hermione. "He didn't try anything while we were together. He could have done away with me if he had wanted to and he didn't." Ron glowered angrily, and Harry clenched his hands into tight fists.

"You two are acting like overprotective nitwits," she snapped again. This was not how she imagined her reunion with the boys. She knew they were going to fight with Malfoy, but she did expect them to give her such a hard time.

Draco chose that moment to wake up, so they abruptly ended their conversation and Harry undid the _mufflito_ spell.

"So, Harry," said Hermione quickly changing the topic. "I've been thinking about Wormtail's life debt." The boys shushed her immediately and sent cautious glares towards the top bunk. Hermione ignored them and continued.

"It could be useful," she continued in a slightly quieter voice. "I don't think You-know-who will want to be connected to someone in your debt."

"Why?" asked Harry. "It's not like he is forced to repay me."

"He is," Draco said from his bed.

"What? Why?" Hermione asked, turning suddenly to look at him.

"Muggle life debts are different than wizard ones," he explained, looking directly at Hermione and ignoring the boys completely. "Magical debts create a bond between the two wizards. If you were to ask him for something, anything, he would be forced to give it to you."

"But if Vol- I mean You-know-who knows about the debt, why would he keep him alive?" Harry asked.

"The Dark Lord has never spared anyone's life by choice. He doesn't understand the true depth of the bond between you. That and he doesn't think you are capable of using it against him." Harry nodded deep in thought, while Ron mumbled incoherently.

"I told you he's useful," said Hermione smugly. Draco smirked proudly and lay back down on his bunk listening to their bickering.

"We could have found out about the life debts in a book or something," defended Ron.

"Yes, but that would have taken much longer," she replied. "And a book couldn't tell us that You-know-who didn't think Harry was capable of using the debt to his advantage."

"Yes…but," Ron spluttered trying to think of something intelligent to say. Hermione smirked in victory ending the conversation, by opening a book directly blocking Ron's face. She heard a low chuckle from Draco's bed.

"At least I'm not a filthy Death Eater," Ron muttered, just loud enough for him to hear. His chuckle cut short and he growled. He jumped off the bunk again, but it was not in the same cheery manner. Ron got up abruptly knocking his chair to the floor.

"Take that back," he growled menacingly. Hermione and Harry both stood up sensing the fight. Harry threw his arm in front of Ron holding him back and Hermione ran in front of Draco pushing her hands on his chest to hold him in place.

"Ron it's not worth it," said Harry trying to calm the fiery red head.

"Draco, please don't," whispered Hermione urgently. Draco looked down at her hands on his chest, but did not move out of his semi crouched position. Hermione wasn't sure how to calm him down, so she said the first thing that came to mind.

"If I admitted that your chest was distracting me this morning, would you stop?" She asked, somewhat teasingly, even though it was the truth. Draco was distracted enough.

He moved back slightly so that he was no longer crouching but her hands still rested on his chest. He made a show of looking at her hands, so that he caught Harry and Ron's attention. He then smirked at Ron before climbing back into his bunk. This only set Ron off again and annoyed Hermione in the process.

"Harry's right, he's not worth it," she said to him, before grabbing her book and shutting out the rest of the world with it.

The next week continued in a similar manner. Ron and Draco were constantly fighting, Harry too occasionally but he was usually too distracted with Horcrux research to bother with their stupid arguments. Hermione on the other hand usually got caught in the middle. She began to alternate sides, because they always made her chose between them.

On the morning of their relocation another fight broke out. Harry and Hermione were distracted preparing for their departure. It was not a major fight, just petty name-calling. Harry was short-tempered this morning ending their argument angrily.

"Will you both SHUT UP?" he roared angrily. They both fell silent at his sudden outburst.

"Now let's go," he commanded holding the tent entrance open. Once all of them had exited Harry and Hermione removed the protective spells from the tent and packed it in Hermione's purse. Behind them they heard angry voices, followed by spells being shot. Hermione turned around expecting Ron and Draco to be at each other's throats, but the sight that met Hermione's eyes was worse.

"Ha…Harry," Hermione stuttered. Harry turned around. His wand was out before Hermione's shooting spells at the black hooded figures that surrounded them. Hermione counted five, but every one was moving so quickly she couldn't keep track. She narrowly avoided a green spell shot in her direction. Ron pushed her out of the way and shot a curse at the caster. She was casting spell after spell, but they were not making much progress, only one of them had fallen.

"Come on," Harry shouted. Ron grabbed her arm and apparated. Hermione felt everything tighten around her as they traveled to safety. Ron's apparition skills were not as good as Harry's or Hermione's so the landing was shaky and Hermione hit the ground. When she got back to her feet she looked around at their new surrounding. Harry was quickly putting protective spells around the tent, while Ron was circling the tent with his wand at the ready. Hermione searched the area around them, but could not see him. Her heart sped up and fear filled her voice.

"Where's Malfoy?"

* * *

**Hmmm what shall I show you from Chapter 12? How about this:**

_**Then the pit became filled with corpses and faceless people who held him back when he tried to escape. Then at one point just before dawn, he saw the face of one of the bodies. He vaguely recognized her, but could not figure out who it was until he awoke a few moments later. **_**"Granger," he groaned quietly**


	12. Home Sweeet Headquarters

**A/N: Hi everyone! I have some good news and some bad news. The good news: I am done my exams! The bad news: that writing streak I had was short-lived. So where does that leave us for the next chapter? I have no idea :D I'll get it up as soon as I can, but I'm not making any promises...Though some reviews might help - How subtle am I? ;)**

**Thank you to all the AMAZING people who reviewed chapter 11: FiOnAFiO, Freya, xoRetributionox, NessaWayMalfoy, and Nuisha. And once again a special thank you to NessaWayMAfloy for suggesting this story to DramioneTeam on Twitter, where it was selected as fanfiction of the day on April 9 (I think that was the date...)! You are supermegafoxyawesomehot! (I hope you got that joke, if not it was from A Very Potter Musical).  
**

**Disclaimer: If I had a million dollars (if i had a million dollars) I would buy Harry Potter - to the tune of "If I had a million dollars" by the barenaked ladies.**

Chapter Twelve – Home Sweet Headquarters

"Draco?" she called trying to find him. She ran around the tent to look on the other side, but he was not there. Ron shot Harry a guilty look as Hermione started hyperventilating.

"Get her in the tent," muttered Harry who was finishing the defensive spells. Ron nodded and dragged Hermione into the tent.

"Harry, we have to go back," she choked, realizing that he was not with them.

"We are not going back there!" exclaimed Ron exasperatedly.

"Why not?" Hermione demanded. "We would have gone back for you or Harry?"

"But he's…Malfoy," Ron spluttered.

"It's not like we chose to leave him behind," Hermione snapped. "We left him there by accident, and now he could be dead!"

"Look, I saw Malfoy before we left," Ron explained, while Harry shook his head frantically. "They had him surrounded, we couldn't have gotten to him, even if we had tried."

"You…I…him," Hermione spluttered. "You knew! I can't believe you knew he was there and still left him behind. I know you hated them, but that is ridiculous. If he dies it will be all you're fault." She was shrieking so fiercely that Harry had recoiled and was watching them both apprehensively.

"He's a Death Eater," Ron shouted. "For all we know he could have sent for them."

"He did not!" Hermione yelled. "He knows that they will kill him. He had no choice, but to join them."

"Please," Ron scoffed. "How would you know? I bet he couldn't wait to join, remember how smug he was about it in sixth year."

"He told me that he didn't want to join," replied Hermione remembering their conversation at the manor. "And do you honestly think we would be able know what he was really thinking?"

"Sounds like you and Malfoy got really cozy," Ron spat.

"Of course you would think that," she shrieked. "You couldn't even speak to him with out arguing."

"Guys, stop," Harry intervened. "There's nothing we can do now. It's too dangerous to go back there and they've probably moved him already."

"They would have taken him to Malfoy Manor. We could," Hermione started.

"No," responded Harry firmly. Hermione sighed sadly at Harry then stalked past Ron and lied on her bed. She was furious, and even though Harry refused to go after them, he knew she would not give up without a fight.

Hermione had her head buried deep within her pillow, trying to find a way to help Draco. She didn't move from that spot for a long time, because she was not ready to face the boys yet. Eventually she drifted into an uneasy sleep. After several hours Ron woke her up for her shift. The time did not help either of them cool off. As soon as Hermione was fully awake, she pulled off her cloak and stormed out.

Hermione was still seething the next morning; sitting out in the cold had done nothing to cool her temper. Harry went back to sleep after finishing his watch leaving Ron and Hermione basically alone. Ron was paying little attention to Hermione because he was too busy shoveling food into his mouth. Finally when he was done he acknowledged her presence.

"So are you feeling better this morning?" Ron asked, Hermione didn't answer. "Less hormonal?" He asked.

"I was not hormonal," she exclaimed angrily.

"Well, I mean…" Ron spluttered. He composed himself. "You can honestly be upset that he's gone? Won't it be so much better without him?" Ron asked incredulously.

"Are you out of your mind?" Hermione almost yelled. "How could you be happy that he was captured by Death Eaters? And besides he knows too much about what we have been doing, it's not safe to leave him with them."

"Please, he's one of them," Ron scoffed. "He's probably happy to be back."

"He is not one of them!" Hermione yelled banging her fist on the table. The sudden noise woke Harry.

"Are you two arguing again?" he asked, sick of the constant bickering.

Hermione didn't answer but retreated to her bed and shoved her head in her book. Harry sighed and Ron grumbled under his breath. "You'd think he was a Sainte the way she defends him."

The days often passed like this. The few occasions on which Hermione and Ron actually spoke to each other it always ended in an argument. Then Hermione would take cover in a book and they would return to silence.

* * *

"We found him with Potter," snarled Greyback, viciously pulling an unconscious Draco by his wrist.

"You found Potter? Bring him to me," Snape demanded, looking anxious.

"Um," Greyback stuttered.

"Potter escaped," Avery muttered, looking down and shuffling his feet.

"You let Potter escape," Snape hissed.

"There were only five of us," Avery explained. "We didn't expect to run into anyone."

"There were five of you, and you were overpowered by teenagers," Snape snarled angrily.

"Yes," Greyback snarled. "But what do we do with the traitor?"

"Has the Dark Lord been contacted?" Snape asked.

"Yes, he is on important business, and will be back in a week to deal with him," Avery answered curtly.

"Take him to the Dungeon," he spat, and then turned on his heal and left.

Greyback tightened his grip on Draco's arm and Avery grabbed his other arm. Together they dragged him towards the Malfoy Manor dungeon. He awoke as they pulled him down the steep stairs that lead to the dungeon. His head was extremely sore, and he felt a sharp pain as his head hit another step.

"Where are you taking me?" He groaned. "Where am I?"

"You are at Headquarters, and you are being taken to the dungeon, traitor," Avery snarled, giving his wrist a hard pull. Draco heard a crack, but did not succumb to the extreme pain. Knowing he was in pain would only satisfy them.

"You're locking me in my own dungeon for following the Dark Lord's orders," Draco drawled. "This organization is really going to the dogs," he continued. "I expect you'll get you mark any day now Greyback,"

Greyback growled angrily throwing Draco down the last flight of stairs. His head hit the wall with a crash. He bit his tongue to hold back the noise bubbling in his throat. Blood filled mouth and he spat it out before they got there.

He pulled himself to his feet using the wall for support. He saw a bloodstain seeping into the stone from where he hit his head. He scowled at the mark, but could not check for further damage because Greyback and Avery had arrived.

Just as he began to feel his legs Avery waved his wand and Draco was thrown into the air and through the door to the dungeons. He hit the ground again and groaned in pain. Avery and Greyback snickered and followed him in. Avery pulled a large iron key out and opened one of the barred rooms. Greyback dragged Draco into the cell and Avery locked the door behind them.

"Crucio," Avery said pointing his wand fiercely at Draco. Draco was used to this pain and did not cry out, he had suffered far worse. Avery was no exceptional wizard and the pain was bearable.

The outer door slammed shut, the loud noise echoed off the walls of his cell. If Draco had been in less pain he would have been furious at the thought of being prisoner in his own dungeon. But he had more important things on his mind now, even apart from the pain. He had no idea how he was going to get out of this mess.

He was just lucky that the Dark Lord was away. He was already angry that Draco couldn't perform his last mission. He was just hoping his aunt was away too, her curses were much more painful. But luck didn't seem to be with him. Only a day after he arrived she honoured him with her presence.

"Draco," she hissed angrily. He groaned and pulled his head up against the wall of the cell.

"Aunt Bella," Draco drawled. "Such a pleasure to see you here," he said motioning the grime covered cells and cobwebbed bars.

"Don't sass me Draco," she hissed angrily. "The Dark Lord will not be pleased to find out that you have been-"

"Following his orders?" Draco supplied.

"For your sake, I hope you were following orders," she spat angrily. "Unlike your ungrateful parents."

Draco remained silent, wanting to know the details of his parents' departure. As she spoke she pointed her wand a rat scurrying in front of his cell, it shook and squealed for a moment before she put it out of its misery.

"I am ashamed to call Narcissa my sister," Bella seethed. "And your father, the coward." Draco clenched his jaw to hold back a retort. "The Dark Lord has honoured them by using their manor as headquarters, and they disgrace me!" A sudden bang from above silenced her ranting.

She cursed and stalked out without a word. Draco sighed in relief when she had gone. Not that he preferred being alone, the silence in the cell mocked him, forcing him to face his own thoughts. He used all his strength to pull himself onto his feet. He supported himself with the bars.

He shook the cell door attempting to break it open. He sighed in defeat and slid back onto the floor, knowing that there was no way to escape.

He drifted into an uneasy sleep and remained in this semi-unconscious state for three days. On the third night he dreamed that he was trapped in a jagged pit and whenever he tried to climb out it grew deeper.

Then the pit became filled with corpses and faceless people who held him back when he tried to escape. Then at one point just before dawn, he saw the face of one of the bodies. He vaguely recognized her, but could not figure out who it was until he awoke a few moments later.

"Granger," he groaned quietly. With this realization an uneasy feeling settled into his stomach. That feeling lasted most of the morning, until he was disturbed by the arrival of breakfast.

Draco was starving and gulped down the disgusting oatmeal eagerly. The Death Eater who had brought it remained there. Once he removed his mask Draco realized it was Crabbe Sr.. Once Draco had finished he shoved the bowl roughly out of the cell.

"The food is getting terrible," he quipped.

"I don't know why they are feeding you," he grunted pulling out his wand. "They should leave you here to rot." Draco noted his wand uneasily. He had seen Crabbe fight, when armed Draco could take him easily. But Draco knew Crabbe was vicious, and unarmed he was in trouble.

"You ungrateful traitor," he spat. "Crucio." Draco writhed in pain biting back he scream. White-hot knives were piercing every part of his body, and at the same time he felt like his body was being whipped with a leather strap. When the pain finally ceased he faced a new method of torture.

This curse was completely unexpected. An electric pulse shot through his body, he saw purple sparks coming out of his arms and legs. Another pulse came, this one was stronger than the last. His whole body shook from the shock and his head bashed into the wall behind him. His teeth chattered harshly against each other.

The last shock was the worst. Draco's heart pounded against his rib cage and was beating so quickly he swore it was going to rip out of his chest. His body was convulsing and he became nauseous from the pressure. His eyes rolled back into his head, and he tried to control his shaking. Still shaking he leaned forward hurling his breakfast up into the corner of the cell.

It seemed like forever before the curse was removed. But the after shocks were still affecting Draco. He continued to shake while Crabbe left the dungeons chuckling darkly. Just before he left he turned back to Draco and said smugly, "The Dark Lord will be here tomorrow traitor, and I doubt he'll be as lenient as the others."

* * *

**Chapter 13 Preview: **

"Stand up," the Dark Lord hissed.

**Ok that was a horrible preview, but I was just too lazy to find a better one. Sorry!**


	13. The Dark Lord's Request

**A/N: **Another Chapter Already! I'm actually quite happy with the time it took me to get this up. Anyway, I was planning to wait to post this chapter until the weekend, but the **Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part II trailer** came out yesterday! I was so excited I decided to update early and... have a link to the trailer for those unlcuky people who have not had the chance to see it yet: **www (dot) digitalspy (dot) ca/movies/news/a316474/harry-potter-deathly-hallows-part-2-trailer (dot) html**

Just replace the (dot) with an actual . to get to the site, I could not use the actual link, fanfiction wouldn't let me.

**Thanks for all the reviews: A La DarkAngel, Frey, and EasilySwayed (to answer you question: that part was meant to be confusing, we will find out more as the story unravels) **

**Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter...or Malfoy :( or anything else from the series.**

Chapter 13 – The Dark Lord's Request

Draco awoke to multiple pains. He was bruised and bloody. He had been inured severely from the multiple torture sessions he endured over the past week. The worst had been from Bellatrix's second visit. Not only were her Cruciatus curses the most painful, she had decided to test some new curses on him as well. Crabbe wasn't the only one with new tricks, and Bellatrix's were far worse.

He had a searing pain in his side, and was experiencing extreme pain through his chest and abdomen. He was almost positive that she had caused some intense internal damage. On top of all the previously caused pain he was currently enduring a fresh round of torture.

After a few moments of his waking the curse ceased. Draco was still curled up on the floor from the pain when someone opened his cell. The door creaked open and the unknown person grabbed Draco roughly and dragged him out from the cell. The pain was stopping his brain from functioning properly and he was too weak to try and stop the person from dragging him.

The floor was scraping his entire body and his pains only intensified. The unknown Death Eater pulled him to the stairs. His head collided with the first step and he was unconscious again.

When Draco reawakened he felt cool marble against his cheek. He opened his eyes and realized that he was in the ballroom. He heard shuffling feet behind him.

"Stand up," the Dark Lord hissed. Draco exhaled quietly and slowly pulled himself to his feet. Once he was on his feet he saw the Dark Lord standing before him. He moved towards him slowly and lowered himself to the floor again kissing the hem of his robes.

His body almost collapsed with the effort, but he pulled himself into a kneeling position. Draco's back and neck ached, but the Dark Lord did not tell him to rise. His breaths were quick and shallow, but he remained in that position.

"Crucio," he snarled. Draco recoiled, writhing in agony. He thought the previous torture was hell, but this was worse than that. Draco was wishing he could die, even if he would go to hell, as long as it would stop the pain. But the pain didn't stop, not yet.

The Dark Lord removed the curse, but continued the pain with a new method. Memories flashed through Draco's mind. The first one was of his mother, it was Christmas morning and she was opening the gift Draco had given her. But the memory changed and a large snake slithered out of the silver box striking at her neck.

"No," Draco yelled, as he watched the colour drain out of his mother's face. The memory changed again. It was a few years later and his father was teaching him how to ride a broom. As soon as his father touched his shoulder his hand began to shrivel and it extended up his arm and he shriveled away slowly before Draco's eyes.

Draco was screaming again, begging him to save his father. Then all of a sudden it stopped and Draco was jerked back to reality. The room was eerily silent and Draco lay there clutching his side.

"Rookwood, leave us," he hissed. Draco heard hurried footsteps and the door closed echoing across the room. Draco noticed the Dark Lord flick his wand subtly in Draco's direction. Draco suddenly felt a slight stinging in all the cuts on his back and chest, from being tortured and dragged the past few days. But Draco's thoughts were cut short when the Dark Lord spoke again.

"Rise Draco," the Dark Lord said somberly. Draco rose and stepped back, hesitantly making eye contact with him. His red eyes scorched Draco's cool gray ones. Draco broke the gaze quickly averting his eyes to his neck.

"Dear me," he continued more pleasantly, and Draco was alert immediately. "You look despicable." Draco winced automatically when the Dark Lord raised his wand, but he felt no pain, well no additional pain. He looked down and saw that the blood had disappeared off his arms, and he assumed also the rest of his body.

Draco's suspicion heightened greatly at the Dark Lord's 'kindness.' The Dark Lord was now watching him intently. Draco recognized that look and quickly blocked all of his thoughts and emotions. He felt him attempt to penetrate his mind and focused on the present to protect his thoughts.

"Crucio," he hissed. The pain was unbearable and Draco was forced backwards from the pressure. His body curled up and he screamed in agony. All he could think about was the pain. When the curse finally ended he lay on the floor for a moment panting.

Voldemort moved to his side in one sweeping motion. He looked down on Draco menacingly and hissed, "Where have you been?"

"I found Potter," Draco gasped. "I convinced them that I was also on the run from the Death Eaters."

"And he believed you, just like that?" Voldemort sneered.

"He was there, when…I failed my mission," Draco explained. "I used that to my advantage."

Voldemort said nothing, but walked around him like a bird circling its prey. Draco sat up slowly and pulled himself to his feet. The Dark Lord continued to circle him in deep thought. He attempted to probe Draco's thoughts again, and this time he let him; feeding him only the memories that he deemed convenient, and hiding anything with Hermione.

"Potter was always so naïve," he concluded. "What has he been doing these past months?"

"Nothing," Draco replied quickly, "they've just been trying to stay undetected." He didn't dare mention the Horcruxes, that was top secret and he would be killed if the Dark Lord found out that he knew.

"You are going back," he decided. This is when Draco became uneasy. "You will go back first thing tomorrow."

"What?" Draco asked cautiously.

"Yes, tonight after the meeting you will meet me in your father's study," he commanded, "I will place a tracking spell on you so we can also track Potter."

Draco nodded and Voldemort continued, "and when it is time we will come to you."

"Yes, my lord," Draco responded bowing despite the pain.

"You may go," he said and Draco straightened, "the meeting is in an hour."

Draco left the room in relief. The hall was crowded with people wearing black and white serving uniforms. Draco briefly wondered where the elves were, but did not dwell on the fact until he recognized one of them.

He couldn't remember the boy's name, but he knew he was a Hogwarts student and he was a muggleborn. After a moment he knew why these people were here. They were all muggleborns, and now they were being enslaved.

Draco couldn't bear the packed hallway, so he slid into a passageway leading to the usually deserted library. He peeked out the window and saw Death Eaters arriving in the courtyard. He sighed and hurried to his bedroom undetected.

His bedroom looked no different than from when he left. Everything was left in the exact same position, meaning either no one had been in his room, or an expert in snooping had come in. Draco was rather indifferent about this; there was nothing of value there. He changed into fresh robes slowly trying to cause as little pain as possible.

When he was finished Draco flopped onto his bed, and recoiled instantly from the pain. He moaned audibly, and the pain caused him to tear slightly. He stayed as still as possible until the pain subsided slightly. He fell into a deep sleep, waking only minutes before the meeting was scheduled to start.

"Shit," he cursed, rolling off the bed. He grunted in pain, but that did not slow him down. He bolted down to the dining room skidding to a halt in front of the door. He adjusted his robes and caught his breath before sauntering in.

The small talk ended the moment he walked in and was replaced with whispering. They all watched him as he made his way to an empty seat. Just as he was sitting down the Dark Lord entered. He saw Draco's half-seated form and Draco was sure he was going to be punished for his lateness. Instead he said, "Good Draco, you are here."

Draco hid his pain as he rose fully and bowed saying "Of course, my lord."

"There is a free seat next to Severus," he said simply, motioning for Draco to sit there. There was a fresh wave of whispers, but they were silenced quickly. Draco strode over to the empty seat, and his body ached from the constant movement.

He sat down, taking a sharp intake of breath that Severus noticed. He glanced at Draco from the corner of his eye, but quickly averted them once he saw Bellatrix's excited gaze. She was looking at Draco with maniacal pride.

"Good evening," Voldemort began.

The meeting lasted for an hour, and Voldemort did not mention Draco's new mission. Draco was prepared for the next aspect. The meeting came to an end when Voldemort left the room. The others began to talk immediately and moved into the ballroom to celebrate the Dark Lord's return to headquarters.

The ballroom was not as exquisite as usual due to his mother's absence. Draco's heart ached at the thought of his parents. Voldemort had not arrived yet and the new staff were scurrying around like mice. Draco quickly followed Severus to the table nearest to him. They were the first ones there, giving them a moment to talk.

"What happened?" He hissed.

"They found us," Draco replied snidely. Severus sighed and Draco shot him a nasty glare. "The other's got away without me," Draco finished simply.

"Do you think they planned to abandon you?" Severus asked quickly.

"No," Draco replied through tight lips, because he saw his aunt approaching. "Weasley grabbed them and ran, I'm quite sure he saw me, but the Mudblood," he spat out the word, "wouldn't have left it she knew I was there." Part of him hoped that she would not have abandoned him. Severus shot him a long, knowing look, but said nothing.

Bellatrix drew her chair and looked at Draco fondly, almost tearing with pride. "Excellent work Draco, I've heard that the Dark Lord has given you a great mission," she said, subtly asking him to confirm the rumors.

Draco clucked his tongue condescendingly, "Aunt Bella, you know that information is classified," he responded smirking. She took this as confirmation and beamed at him. She looked psychotic, with her hair frizzed out and her teeth yellowed. Her eyes were gleaming maliciously.

Severus' lips tightened at Bellatrix's demeanor, but said nothing. Within a moment the waiters Draco had seen in the hallway had appeared again and were serving food to each table. Draco looked at the waitress serving them. She couldn't be more than fourteen. She looked down while serving the food and never made eye contact with anyone. She was gone as quickly as she had come and Draco shoved his fork into his steak also avoiding eye contact.

Once the meal was served Bellatrix monopolized most of Draco's time. She continually tried to show off his mission and new position with the Dark Lord. Draco had finally escaped, but was pulled onto the dance floor by an eager Pansy. Draco's lips tightened as he danced the familiar waltz. Pansy was much less graceful and bumped into several people and repeatedly stepped on his toes. Draco remained on the dance floor, to Pansy's delight, but only to avoid the constant conversing with unimpressed Death Eaters. Nevertheless Draco kept a superior smirk on his face throughout the dances, and that was how he spent the duration of the evening.

* * *

While Draco had endured physical pain from the Death Eater's curses, Hermione endured emotional turmoil. She could not accept that Draco was truly a Death Eater, like Ron had told her, and she also could not accept that there was no hope of saving him, which Harry repeatedly told her.  
She spent every waking moment trying to figure out ways to save him. She didn't know much about Malfoy Manor, other than the fact that it was Voldemort's headquarters. That alone should have swayed her, but it did not. She gave up looking for information on Horcruxes and instead began looking for ways to help him.

Ron never noticed what she was reading, so he could not predict what she was planning. But Harry knew, and he also knew that it would be stupid to try to stop her, so he helped. He did it grudgingly and put much less effort into compared the Horcruxes, but he still helped and for that Hermione was grateful.

* * *

**Preview of Chapter 14:**

"What are you doing?" Snape hissed, looking at him severely. He did not move from his place in the doorway.

"I'm playing quidditch, can't you tell?" Draco responded sarcastically. However, Severus did not look amused.


	14. Rescue

**A/N: Hello again my lovely readers! I am in an incredibly awesome mood because I just got an A on my stats midterm :D :D :D I'm only telling you this because...it put me in such a good mood I wrote almost all day today, and the next chapter should be up by...this weekend! But for now, enjoy this chapter.**

**Disclaimer: I own an A on my Stats exam. Lol I am so happy about that...it is kind of sad - but I would be happier if I owned Harry Potter. But I don't.**

Chapter Fourteen – Rescue

It was almost midnight as Draco collapsed on the floor in his bedroom. Dancing was a stupid mistake, and his body ached more than ever. He was stuck on the floor and did not have the strength to move. His internal pains had increased as well. It did not help that he overindulged at dinner and that seemed to worsen his aunt's curse. She seemingly forgot to remove it in all her excitement.

Draco heard a clock chime from outside. It was midnight. Draco heard sharp footsteps approaching his bedroom and his body stiffened. He reached for his wand heightening the pain in his muscles. His arm burned and a sharp pain is his side made his attempts useless, try as he may his body refused to take any more pain and his arm would not go the distance.

The door opened sending a rush of cold air at Draco, soothing his tender skin momentarily. His skin was raw and covered in scratches that were quickly becoming infected, but once the door had clicked shut the burning returned.

Severus looked down on him with surprised eyes, not expecting to find him there. His eyebrows shot up and almost disappeared into his greasy hair line. This would have looked comical if the situation was not so intense. Draco returned to his previous position and rested his head on the carpeted flooring.

"What are you doing?" Snape hissed, looking at him severely. He did not move from his place in the doorway.

"I'm playing quidditch, can't you tell?" Draco responded sarcastically. However, Severus did not look amused.

"What are you doing here?" He said, rephrasing the question slightly.

"If you haven't noticed I can't move very well," Draco grunted as he tried to reposition himself. Severus stepped forward and yanked him up by the arm. Draco cursed loudly and Severus shushed him, but looked concerned. Draco steadied himself and Severus let go of his arm. His anger quickly returned.

"If the Dark Lord realizes you are still here he will kill you," Severus hissed urgently.

"Well, the Dark Lord can wait," Draco snapped in response. Severus let out a strangled sigh, and then recomposed himself.

"Go now," he ordered and with a swish of his wand Draco's dress robes were replaced with the worn travel robes he had arrived in. He waved his wand again, this time in a more complicated motion, relieving Draco of the internal injuries caused by his dear aunt. Draco breathed for the first time without pain, well no pain in his lungs – a slight improvement, and followed Severus out the door.

Snape clapped him on the shoulder and wished him luck before he billowed away. Draco almost snorted at the theatrics of the past few hours, but he resisted the urge. Instead just rolled his eyes and continued on his way.

A sudden idea struck him and he made a quick turn into the next hallway. He found a peculiar looking statue. He found a latch on the base that opened into a small passage. Draco crawled through, closing the latch behind him.

The crawling caused an unbearable amount of pain, and the pain worsened when Draco hit his head against the opening of the tunnel. He felt blood drip down the side of his face and cloud his vision. He stumbled suddenly falling out of the small tunnel and into the hallway of the servant's quarters. His chest landed roughly on the stone floor. He felt the warmth of fresh blood, and a wave of nausea came over him. But got to his feet anyway, with his mouth clamped shut, and continued down the hall leading to the exit past the kitchen.

* * *

It was Hermione's turn for the night watch, and she was even more nervous than usual. She peeked into the tent; Harry and Ron were fast asleep. She hesitantly pulled out the blue prints she had come across two days before. Draco had been gone for almost a week, and Hermione barely ate nor slept since he had been captured.

It had been the most dreadful week she had ever spent. She was constantly arguing with Ron or ignoring him. Harry gave up trying to mediate and resorted to a sullen and withdrawn mood. Hermione knew he was angry with both of them for neglecting the Horcruxes, but she could not focus on anything except for rescuing Draco. She convinced herself that leaving him there to die was inhumane, and though part of her blamed Ron, she would never be able to forgive herself if he died because they abandoned him.

Hermione examined the blue prints carefully, mapping out her chosen route with her index finger. She had been planning her "rescue mission" ever since she found this, but she had not told Harry of her plans. She knew the likelihood of failure, and she was not willing to risk his life for her sake, especially since she knew it was Voldemort's headquarters. And he would only crush her hopes.

She looked around the tent thoroughly checking for any signs of danger. Once she was sure the tent was safe she moved from her position silently. She decided not to leave a note, in case she didn't make it back. She did not want them coming after her.

She added a few extra protective spells around the tent before apparating from the forest. She arrived just short of the Malfoy's property. Safely hidden in a cluster of trees, she peered around the branches and to her surprise saw no Death Eaters.

She darted out of the tress and onto the estate. She kept within the shadows, but was met with no challenges. She was surprised by the lack of protection around the Dark Lord's headquarters, until a large bang startled her. She looked to the source of the noise and saw a section of large windows lit. She heard laughter, then music commenced and black cloaks swirled across gracefully across the window. So they were celebrating, that was the reason for the lack of guards. Hermione couldn't help but wonder what brought on the festivities, and some small part of her brain tried to imagine their reaction to Harry's death. The thought made her sick.

Just as she thought she was safe she heard a set of hurried footsteps. She looked around panicking. She saw a patch of rosebushes near by and ran towards them and threw herself into them. Thorns pricked through her cloak and scratched her face and neck. She felt her hair pull and realized it was tangled in the bushes. She let out a ragged breath, but caught it quickly when she heard rough voices talking angrily. She watched the footsteps pass the edge of the property and disappear. She yanked her hair from the bush and hissed in pain.

She climbed out of the bush quietly, but very ungracefully. She tripped over her torn cloak and stumbled to the wall. She pressed herself against it and crept around the corner. She moved further along the wall finding the entrance she was looking for. It was a small archway leading into the servant quarters. She pressed her ear to the door for a moment before sneaking inside.

The door led to a deserted and tunnel-like hallway. She continued down the narrow path until she reached a fork in the hall she took the path that led away from the kitchens and into the servant's sleeping area. Hermione heard the sound of pots hitting a stone floor and looked over her shoulder nervously.

Her distraction caused her to bump into a person. A person with very fast reflexes and a surprisingly tight grip. Hermione gasped and her head snapped forward to face her captor. It was a boy, he couldn't be much older than Hermione. He had grimy looking skin that was stretched tightly over his cheekbones creating hollow indents where his cheeks should have been. He looked as startled as she did, and then a look of recognition crossed his face.

"You're Hermione Granger," he said in an anxious whisper.

"How do you know that?" Hermione asked sharply.

"I've seen your picture in the Daily Prophet," he said unsurely, "I'm supposed to report you."

"Please don't," Hermione stuttered, trying to think of an escape. He seemed to think over her suggestion, but then a terrified look crossed his face. Something over her shoulder caught his attention, and then his expression changed and his grip tightened.

"I found her sneaking through the hallway," his voice became hard and he turned her around. Hermione inhaled sharply when she saw a blood covered Draco in front of them. Draco's eyes popped open, and his slack jaw stiffened. Hermione saw his hand reach for his wand and less than a second later her captor was on the floor.

Relief flooded through Hermione, and without thinking she flung herself at him. They crashed into the wall behind him, and Hermione recoiled quickly apologizing.

"What happened to you?" Hermione gasped, once they had moved away from each other, watching blood seep through his shirt on his chest and back.

"Death Eaters," he replied curtly, trying and failing to conceal his pain. Hermione's hand fluttered uselessly to his side. Their voiced roused the man on the floor. They both looked at him apprehensively. Draco pulled out his wand.

"Obliviate," he murmured. Hermione saw his eyes rolled back into his head, but he made no other movements. "Let's go," Draco said in an equally low murmur. Hermione looked around anxiously before following Draco back the way she came.

They were silent while they walked. All that could be heard was Draco's panting; he made sure he made no other sounds of discomfort. But Hermione could tell that he was severely injured, especially when he began to use the wall to support himself as they walked.

Once they reached the archway leading out of the manor Draco lost his balance on the single step landing on all fours. Hermione hurried down to help him, but he pushed her hands away.

"I'm fine," he snapped. Hermione moved back quickly, beginning to regret her decision to come alone. Draco was stubborn, and if he did not accept Hermione's help they were sure to get caught. Hermione grabbed his arm anyway, and tried to pull him up gently. He growled in pain and protest, but Hermione did not give in.

"Stop being so stubborn," she hissed, pulling more aggressively now, "You're going to get us both killed." Draco scowled in response but let her pull him across the grounds. He pulled her to a stop just before the boundary line.

"The protective shields are back up, it's impossible to keep it up while so many Death Eaters are entering, but it is sealed now."

"How do we get through," Hermione asked quietly, still observing the grounds carefully. Draco smirked at her, and Hermione was surprised he managed to act composed while he was so wounded. It seemed like he used all his strength to slash his wand right through the invisible barrier. There was a blue flash where his wand touched the barrier.

"Quickly," Draco said, now pulling Hermione. Just as they made it through the barrier the wand slash flicked blue again. Hermione apparated them back to the tent before anyone could notice they were even there. They were able to find the tent with little difficulty because Hermione had subtly marked the area the tent was set up in.

As soon as Hermione entered the tent there was an audible crash. Harry and Ron both stood up suddenly knocking over chairs as they did so.

"What did you do?" Harry choked out first, as Ron's face slowly turned purple.

Hermione opened her mouth, but no words came out.

"Him!" Ron yelled ending the momentary silence.

"Wow, what an intelligent exclamation," Draco snorted before attempting to climb to his bunk. He made it up the first step then paused, but he went unnoticed because the yelling had started.

"You put yourself in danger for a Death Eater!" Ron roared.

"We couldn't just leave him there," Hermione shrieked back.

"You shouldn't have gone by yourself," Harry added.

"Of course you would agree with him," Hermione shouted. Their argument was cut short when Draco fell off the ladder with a loud thud. They all looked at him simultaneously and more blood began to seep through his shirt.

"Bloody hell," Ron said in shock. Hermione pulled out her wand moving to his side. She attempted to slow the bleeding. It eventually stopped, but even through his shirt Hermione could tell that his skin was not healing properly.

Harry was kneeling next to her. "What's wrong with him?" He asked uncertainly.

"I don't know," Hermione answered.

"What are supposed to do with him," Ron asked looking at Draco's pale frame with revulsion. Hermione scowled at him.

"We have to heal him," Hermione answered, her eyes widening with new worries. She didn't have nearly enough supplies to help him.

"Why?" Ron asked.

"Ron, I can't believe you," Hermione snapped, "We can't just let him die."

"He might not die," Ron protested.

"Well, we obviously can't keep traveling with him," Harry intervened.

"Where are we supposed to go?" Ron asked.

"Grimmauld Place."

* * *

**A/N: No preview today, because I am giving you the full chapter so soon. Reviews are always welcome...and usually begged for (in general, not just by me) :D**


	15. Healing Him

**A/N: Here is the next chapter as promised.**

**I'd also like to thank everyone who review the past two chapters: claire96, Nuisha, , and FBFan **

**Disclaimer: I don't own any aspect from Harry Potter, all rights go to J.K. Rowling.**

Chapter 15 – Healing Him

The journey to Grimmauld Place was more difficult than Harry had anticipated when he originally suggested it. Draco was in a semi-unconscious state the next morning, which made apparition difficult. They needed to apparate in two groups. Hermione couldn't support Draco's weight on her own, so Harry unwillingly offered to apparate with him first.

Hermione and Ron followed bringing the tent with them. They met Harry at the top of the familiar street. It was the crack of dawn and the street was deserted, so they were able to make it onto the doorstep without disruption. Draco was slightly more aware of himself now, so Hermione was once again supporting him because he refused to accept help from Ron or Harry.

Harry hesitated at the door, a strange look crossing his face. He looked at Hermione uncertainly before he asked, "Are you sure?"

"Harry, we've discussed this already," Hermione urged him gently, "If Snape was working with Dumbledore he wouldn't have let anyone in." Harry turned the knob pushing the door open. They all piled in the small entryway. They managed to be quiet enough to avoid waking Mrs. Black. Unfortunately Draco chose this moment to become conscious enough to speak.

"WHERE THE HELL AM I?" Draco yelled hoarsely, looking around anxiously. That started her; Mrs. Black's shrill screaming filled the hallway. Harry and Ron struggled to pull the curtains over her portrait and after a few moments she was quiet again. Hermione had Draco propped against a wall. He gripped it tightly and panted from the effort of yelling.

After that they transported Draco to one of the spare bedrooms. He passed out on the bed as soon as they reached it. Harry pulled Hermione out of the room quietly and whispered, "Please tell me you have a plan?"

Hermione looked worriedly over her shoulder at Draco, before answering, "I know some healing spells, but I will definitely need to make some potions for him."

"Sirius has a potion supply closet in the basement, they used it for the order," Harry offered.

"That's great, and I brought some potions books with us," Hermione whispered looking hopeful for the first time since Draco's capture. She hurried to the basement supply closet following Harry's directions carefully. She had never been in the basement before, and now she understood why, it was disgusting. There were cobwebs and spiders everywhere.

She found the supply room, and it was not any cleaner. The room was nothing compared to the one at Black Manor. There were a few vials of ready-made potions and a decent selection of ingredients. She noticed a shelf labeled 'healing' but all that was on it was a jar of paste that Hermione could not name, but she picked it up anyway. She pulled some items off the dusty, wooden shelf and brought them back upstairs. She checked in on Draco, who was muttering in his sleep, and then began to work on the healing potion in the room she usually shared with Ginny. Her mind clouded with nostalgic memories, and suddenly she missed her friend more than ever.

The potion was brewing and Hermione sat alone watching it sadly. She missed Ginny, and her old life. It dawned on her how much her relationship with Harry and Ron had changed since they began the hunt for the Horcruxes. Draco had turned her life completely upside down, and she couldn't say she was totally unhappy. She had to admit that he fascinated her, but she didn't want his presence to affect her friendship with the boys.

She left the potion stewing in her room, and went to find Harry and Ron. She found them in the kitchen searching in the cupboards for food.

"Hey guys," she said quietly. Harry acknowledged her presence with a smile, but Ron ignored her.

"C'mon Ron, don't be like that," she pleaded with him. "I'm sick of fighting with you."

"But you're not sick of him," Ron spat.

"Ron that's not fair, you are my best friend and that hasn't changed," she responded. "But right now we need to help him. I know you don't like having him around, and I wasn't keen on his being here either, but you have to admit he's been useful." Ron scoffed at that, but Hermione could tell he was beginning to calm down.

"You two are always telling me I can't go against You-Know-Who alone, and you're right. But the more time we waste fighting with each other, the more time He has to kill innocent people," Harry said passionately. Ron had cooled off completely now.

"Why don't we spend this afternoon doing more research on Horcruxes?" Hermione suggested. Harry agreed quickly, and after rolling his eyes teasingly, so did Ron. "I'm going to go take the healing potion off the flames, I'll meet you upstairs in a minute." Harry left quickly, pausing at the door for Ron.

"I'll be up in a second," Ron said awkwardly, clearing his throat, "I need to talk to Hermione." Harry watched them nervously, not sure what to expect, until Ron started blushing. Harry realized what was happening and left, giving them some privacy.

"What's up Ron?" Hermione asked.

"How is your leg feeling?" he asked. Hermione paused for a moment, before remembering.

"It's all healed now," she said, trying to sound enthusiastic. She could tell by Ron's nervous behavior that the situation was going to become awkward. She suspected what was going on and quickly changed the subject.

"Ron I know you hate having Draco around, but it's good that you are being the bigger person and accepting it," Hermione said as nicely as she could. "You are such a good friend, this will make everything so much better. Maybe you two will even become friends!" That was overkill and Hermione knew it, but she just smiled brightly at him.

Ron gaped at her unsure of what had just happened. Hermione leaned in, meaning to give him a quick hug. However, Ron got over his shock quickly. He pulled her closer, holding her hip with one hand, while his other hand was draped around her lower back. Hermione stiffened instantly, but felt extremely guilty. He was her best friend, and here she was treating him horribly. She gave him a quickly squeeze and pulled away. She worked up a genuine smile, before hurrying out of the room.

Hermione almost ran back to her room, locking the door behind her. Her breath caught in her chest, she tried taking deep breaths to calm herself down. She had always imagined herself with Ron, but had realized it was nothing more than a crush. She had thought Ron had realized that too.

Once she managed to get over the shock she pulled the potion off the flames. It would be ready to drink in an hour, so she put out the flames and left her cauldron to cool. She decided to peek in on Draco before heading down to research.

She opened the door as quietly as possible, so she would not disturb him. He seemed to be asleep still, so she moved back out stealthily.

"Granger?" Draco's hoarse voice called.

"Yes," she asked, re-entering the room. He tried to sit up on the bed, but almost passed out from the effort. His shirt was sticking to him, from sweat and dried blood. Hermione could tell he was bleeding again.

"Here let me help-" She began to offer, but was cut off by a low growl.

"I don't need help," he choked out. He began twisting around to prop himself up against the headboard. That's when Hermione saw the green stuff on his shirt.

"Oh my," Hermione gasped. Draco looked at her, losing his balance as he tried to scoot away from her. Hermione grabbed his shoulder stopping him, and he winced.

"Let me see it," Hermione commanded bossily.

"No," Draco responded stubbornly.

"That cut is infected," Hermione snapped, "Just take off your shirt so I can look at it."

"Granger, I know looking at me is way better than looking at Weasel, but have some self-control," he gasped trying to sound mocking. Hermione rolled her eyes, and tightened her hold on his shirt. She tried to pull it over his head, but he struggled making it impossible. So without thinking she tore the shirt off him.

Draco sputtered, looking at her in shock. Then he snapped, "Granger, what the hell are you doing?" He whispered dangerously. But Hermione wasn't listening. Her eyes were glued to his back and chest. He was covered in cuts, and his whole upper body was bruised. Each cut looked rusty around the edges, and was oozing green pus.

Hermione pulled out her wand, ignoring Draco's protests. "Episkey," she said as she waved her wand over some of the cuts. They began to stitch themselves up, but then the green pus burned through the stitches like acid. Draco moaned from the pain, biting his lips to stifle the sounds of weakness. Hermione's mouth opened in confusion, she had never seen anything like this.

Hermione did not have to think too hard before remembering the paste she had found in the supply closet. She ran back to her room and grabbed the jar sitting on her dresser. She managed to pry the jar open just as she made it back to his room. The paste was blood red, and was the consistency of melted marshmallow.

"What is that?" Draco gasped, making a face as the smell of the paste reached him. Hermione pursed her lips, and attempted to stop breathing through her nose. She recognized the smell instantly; it was dragon blood. She could tell from the distinctive metallic scent, and scaly bits in the jar. That knowledge assured her that it would still be safe to use.

"It's a healing ointment for cursed wounds," Hermione replied, reading off the label as she pulled out the special spatula needed to spread it.

"It smells disgusting," Draco gagged. He tried to move his arm to cover his nose, but gasped in pain, letting in fall back to his side.

"That's the dragon blood," Hermione commented. Draco's eyes widened, dragon blood was rare, but also very dangerous.

"Dragon blood?" Draco asked worriedly, "is it safe?" Hermione nodded and began to spread the paste on his back, chest and arms. Once all the cuts were covered with red paste Hermione set her spatula back in the jar. She began to roll up his pant legs.

"Great, more harassment," Draco muttered sarcastically, trying to focus on the pain and not the feel of her hands brushing against his leg. He was not up to dealing with those particular feelings, especially since he spent most of his life trying to be cold and emotionless.

There were no more cuts on his legs, but one leg was swollen and purple. Hermione waved her wand over his leg muttering a spell. There was a loud crack and his leg straightened, because Hermione had healed the broken bone. Draco yelled gripping the sides of the bed.

"Sorry," Hermione murmured. Draco gasped, catching his breath, now that the pain was over. The puffiness reduced, and his leg slowly returned to its normal colour. "That was easy at least," Hermione sighed, sealing the lid on the jar of healing ointment.

"Easy for you," Draco hissed through his teeth. Hermione smiled apologetically.

"You'll have to stay sitting up," Hermione said, packing away all the supplies. "Is there anything I can get you?"

"Why are you helping me?" Draco asked suddenly, really looking up at her for the first time, since before his capture. Hermione made the mistake of meeting his gaze. The second she looked into his silvery gray eyes she began to blush.

"I don't know," Hermione responded quietly, but honestly. She looked away quickly, "Is there anything I can get you?" She repeated quickly. Draco decided to have some mercy, and did not torture her over it. He smirked.

"Is there anything edible in this…house," Draco drawled, looking around distastefully.

"I'll see what I can do," Hermione muttered, rolling her eyes. She shut the door behind her, sighing. That was awkward, to say the least. She went back to the kitchen and put together sandwiches and chips for lunch. She left some on the table for her and the boys, and prepared a tray for Draco. She balanced the overflowing tray carefully, and managed to get it upstairs. On her way to Draco's room, she stopped and poured a beaker full of the healing potion adding it to the tray. She nudged the door to his room open with her toe.

Draco looked up eagerly when she entered. Her heart sped up when she saw his eyes light up. Her mouth unintentionally began to curve into a smile, until Draco ruined the moment.

"Finally, some food!" He exclaimed. Hermione rolled her eyes, trying to hide her blush. How could she have been so stupid? She placed the tray on his lap avoiding his eyes. "Drink the potion first it will help ease the pain."

He chugged the potion down and followed it with some water. After that Draco dug into the sandwich immediately. As he was chewing he looked at her face and snorted. Her face was as red as a tomato, but he didn't comment. Hermione chose to ignore his snort, and began to leave.

"Granger, how long do I have to keep this stuff on me?" Draco asked, motioning with his hand, his red chest.

"Until it finishes drying," Hermione responded, "Then we have to peel it off."

"Peel it?" Draco asked looking repulsed. The red goop had slowly been turning a disgusting shade of orange; it greatly resembled vomit.

"It will attract the curse to it, then we can pull it all out," Hermione explained, "Once the curse and infectious pus is out, it will be easier for the cuts to heal." Draco nodded. "How did this happen?" Hermione asked, her curiosity finally getting the better of her. Draco swallowed, his face darkened, and Hermione thought she had gone too far.

"I mean, I've never seen or read about anything like this," Hermione sputtered. "Cursed wounds aren't that rare, they usually come from ancient spells or artifacts," Hermione ranted going through all her knowledge of cursed wounds in her head. Draco raised his hand slightly, silently telling her to stop.

"It was a curse," Draco decided thinking back to his encounter with the Dark Lord, "I didn't recognize what it was at the time, but whatever curse it was definitely infected my wounds."

"But who did it? What did they say?" Hermione asked quickly.

"It was a non-verbal spell," Draco explained slowly, debating how much to tell her. "The Dark Lord performed it." Hermione gasped. Draco shoved a fistful of chips into his mouth. He did not want her pity, but Hermione knew that he wouldn't and composed her face quickly.

"Well, I'll let you finish your lunch," Hermione said, sensing the awkwardness in the room. "Um…I'll be back up in a few hours to help you peel of the paste." Hermione almost ran out of the room. It felt like she was running away now more than ever.

Hermione brought the rest of the sandwiches and chips up to the boys and they spent a surprisingly enjoyable afternoon researching Horcruxes. Considering the seriousness of the topic, the afternoon was light-hearted. Ron returned to his usual self, as if their awkward encounter had never occurred. It was almost six o'clock when Hermione realized that Draco's paste would be dry, but she decided not to leave just yet, he could handle waiting a little bit longer. They were surrounded by books and parchments filled with notes. Even Harry was pleased with the success of their research. They had brainstormed possible locations of the Horcruxes, and were planning visit them as soon as possible.

"Wow boys," Hermione sighed once they had finished, "This was really useful."

Her eyes were bright with excitement, so were Harry's, and Ron's were red from all the reading. Hermione stretched and managed to climb over the piles of books that were surrounding them, while balancing their lunch dishes.

"Just leave the stuff here, we can continue tomorrow," Hermione said, knowing that Harry was eager to make more progress. Harry nodded, taking of his glasses and rubbing his eyes. Hermione brought the dishes back to the kitchen before going back up to Draco's room. His head was propped against the headboard, and he breathing heavily. He looked extremely uncomfortable as he avoided letting his back touch the bed.

"Malfoy," Hermione called, instantly waking him from his slumber. He sat up quickly, and then moaned from the pain. "Here let me help," Hermione said helping him sit back up. She placed the bowl she had gotten from the kitchen and began to carefully pull the dried paste from his skin. He inhaled sharply as the paste pulled away from his skin. Where it had been attached to his skin had green streaks, where the curse had been attracted to it. Hermione threw the rubbery paste bits into the bowl off Draco's back as he did his chest. They worked silently for the first fifteen minutes, until Draco broke the silence.

"So Granger," Draco asked casually, "What have you, Potter and Weasley been doing this afternoon?" He asked trying not to sound too interested.

"More Horcrux research," she answered easily, somewhat excited again, "We have a list of possible locations that we want to check out." Draco nodded, but did not push the subject. Their conversation changed to small talk and soon enough his chest was paste free. It was still covered in cuts, but Hermione knew that by tomorrow she would be able to heal them with a simple spell.

"All done," said Hermione when she had finally pulled the last bit off. She moved away from him quickly, emptying the contents of the bowl into the trash.

"Do you need anything else?" Hermione asked, as she left a beaker full of healing potion on his side table. Draco shook his head. "Drink this before you go back to sleep."

"Um, Granger," Draco asked embarrassedly, "Could you help me…get back up? His cheeks were tinted pink, so Hermione sealed the beaker and moved back towards the bed.

Hermione helped him lean back against the headboard, trying not to blush as she supported his muscular arms. Draco shivered slightly at her light touch, and there was no paste barrier now to distract him from her soft skin. He looked up into her eyes and Hermione had the sudden urge to kiss him. Both times he had kissed her, without any warning and she was tempted to turn the tables on him. She mentally scolded herself, reminding her that she needed to focus on helping Harry find the Horcruxes, and not get distracted. She stepped away from his bed her head cleared now.

"Thanks Hermione," Draco said, grabbing her wrist gently. Hermione looked at him suddenly, not only had he used her first name, he thanked her, Draco Malfoy was actually thanking her. She bit her lip nervously; her previous resolution was ruined by the way he looked at her then. He looked into her eyes and her whole body tingled starting from her wrist, where he still held her, and it spread to the tips of her toes and top of her head. Then suddenly she leaned forward and was kissing him.

His hand released her wrist and slid up her arm and tangled in her hair. Hermione wrapped her arm around his shoulder and gripped the back of his neck. Her knees went weak and she sunk into the side of the mattress. Draco used his other arm to pull her onto the bed. She pulled away slowly leaning her forehead against his. He smiled his lips still touching hers. Okay, so Draco was becoming a huge distraction.

* * *

**Annnnd here is a preview for Chapter 16: **

"I know he could be useful, but he already knows too much," Harry said slowly, weighing his words carefully as to not upset Hermione. "I know you want to believe that he isn't s spy Hermione, but we have to be careful. I don't think the other Death Eaters would know if You-Know-Who had told him to spy on us. He doesn't trust anyone."

Harry looked thoughtful as he said this, and outside Draco smirked and murmured, "Smart Potter," before sneaking away back to his room.


	16. Alone at Last

**A/N: Hi...(sheepish smile) wow this month has flown by! I am really sorry about the lack of updates. Hopefully I will be able to write some more this week and get another chapter up soon :)**

**A big thank you to all my lovely readers and reviewers: NessaWayMalfoy, Draco-Hermy, eliizilla, FBFan, Nuisha, hanna, and slytherintriumvirate **

**Disclaimer: As always I own nothing.**

Chapter 16 – Alone at Last

Hermione thought the progress they had made on the Horcruxes would appease Harry until they could resume the search. But she was wrong. Once they had started Harry was more eager than ever to continue searching. It was mid February, and Harry was getting restless from being at Sirius' old house for so long.

Draco was completely healed now, but he remained shut up in the spare room. In the past few weeks Hermione had barely seen him, and when she had he was surly and distant. However, she paid no attention to his cool demeanor, and instead focused on her current task. She was spending all her time with her nose stuck in different books, or going over the list of Horcrux locations. The list was not as large as she would have liked, and many of the locations were unlikely.

"What about the Chamber of Secrets?" Ron asked hopefully, one night, after a long day of useless research and bickering. Harry pondered his suggestion, but looked doubtful.

"Harry already destroyed the Horcrux that lead to the Chamber," Hermione snapped, agitated from the lack of information. "Why would he leave another fragment of his soul in the same place?"

"The Diary wasn't in the Chamber," Ron replied harshly, "Lucius Malfoy had it," Ron spat out the name Malfoy like it was dirt on his tongue. Hermione didn't miss the implications that came with his statement, but Ron confirmed them anyway.

"Why don't you go cozy up to Malfoy some more," Ron spat angrily, "Maybe he can help you find another one. Don't you think it is a little _too_ convenient that you found one in one of his houses?"

"Please," Hermione scoffed, "He didn't even know about it. If you recall, it was behind Regulas' name, remember R.A.B?" Ron glowered at her, but didn't respond.

"But the fact that two Horcruxes were somehow related to him is important," Hermione said, and Ron sat up a little straighter, "It proves that he could be useful."

"And he's not sharing any useful information is he?" Ron asked accusatorily.

"That's not what I meant," Hermione replied, unable to believe that he could not see where this conversation was going. "He could know a lot about You Know Who, and since you don't want him here, he can't give us that information. Why should he help us, if we are treating him like an outcast?" The boys had been intent on ignoring Draco since they had arrived at number twelve Grimmauld Place. Even Hermione had barely talked to him because she was so busy researching Horcruxes, and even when she did get the rare opportunity to talk to him the boys pulled her away.

"I still think he's a spy," Ron muttered grumpily. Hermione snapped the quill she was holding and her jaw quavered.

"If he was a spy, why would the Death Eaters attack him and take him as a hostage?" Hermione almost shrieked at him, catching Draco's attention from the hallway as he had been walking by at that moment. At her raised voice he approached the door stealthily.

Harry who had been silent up to that point finally intervened, "I know he could be useful, but he already knows too much," Harry said slowly, weighing his words carefully as to not upset Hermione. "I know you want to believe that he isn't s spy Hermione, but we have to be careful. I don't think the other Death Eaters would know if You-Know-Who had told him to spy on us. He doesn't trust anyone."

Harry looked pensive as he said this, and outside Draco smirked and murmured, "Smart Potter," before sneaking away back to his room. Hermione stormed out soon after, and slammed the door to her room.

Hermione was up at the crack of dawn the next morning. She awoke with a brilliant idea. She knew she was getting cabin fever, which had caused her to lose her temper so easily yesterday, but Ron and Harry were in worse condition. She decided it was time for them to go on a field trip. They had discussed scouting out possible Horcrux locations, but they had yet to actually go to any of the locations, and this was the perfect opportunity for all of them.

She spent the entire morning preparing for their departure. She decided the best option was for them to go to Hogsmeade, since it was a familiar location. She packed them everything they could possibly need, the marauders' map, the invisibility cloak, food, and some other essentials. They would only be gone for a day, but Hermione packed for all circumstances.

That morning when Harry and Ron came down for breakfast, Hermione was already awake and waiting for them. She was hustling around the kitchen throwing things into an open bag on the table.

"Are we leaving?" Harry asked curiously, looking around at the haphazard state of the kitchen.

"No," replied Hermione, as she piled scrambled eggs onto four plates. She placed two in front of Harry and Ron. "You two are going to Hogsmeade today. Check around see if you can find anything." Hermione didn't need to go into any more detail. The boys instantly became enthusiastic for the chance to get out of the house and began shoveling eggs into their mouths at top speed. And they only argued with her half-heartedly about her being alone with Malfoy all day.

Within half an hour the boys were ready to leave. With the crack of their disapparation the house became eerily silent. Hermione exhaled a deep breath. She walked back into the kitchen, every creak in the floor amplified by the silence. She cleaned up the kitchen and all that was left was Draco's lonely plate of eggs. She sighed, grabbed the plate, and headed towards his room.

She hated to admit, that part of her had begun to realize that he could be a spy. These doubts gnawed inside of her as she approached his room. She knocked quietly on the closed door. No answer. Balancing the dish in one hand, she turned the knob and entered slowly looking around. The room was empty. She set the plate down on the dresser.

"Malfoy," she called hesitantly. He came out of the bathroom wearing nothing but his boxers, and his hair was damp, clearly he had just showered. Draco was frowning slightly, disappointed by her returned use of his surname, but he didn't tell her so.

"Hi," he said simply, leaning against the doorframe. Hermione's jaw lowered slightly as she took in his appearance. Rather than blushing like Hermione would have if he had checked her out that way, he smirked and puffed out his chest slightly. Hermione pulled her eyes away from his toned chest and muscular arms and shoulders. She cleared her throat.

"I brought your breakfast," she said quietly. He nodded silently. He watched her intently, unnerving Hermione. She began pulling at the hem or her shirt nervously and staring anywhere but at him. Draco chuckled but did not stop watching her as he grabbed his fork and ate a mouthful of eggs. "Well, I'll let you…get dressed," she said quickly, hurrying out of the room.

"Wait," called Draco, hurrying after her. She poked her head back in, her eyes immediately drew to his chest. Draco noticed this, fought a smirk, and grabbed a shirt off his bed and tugged it over his head. "So, where did Potter and the Weasel run off to this morning?" He asked casually. A little too casually, Hermione thought for a moment, and then scolded herself, _he is not a spy_!

She hesitated a moment before answering, "They went to Hogsmeade," she paused, "to look for Horcruxes," she explained. Draco made a face that Hermione caught just as she raised her eyes from the carpet. "What?" she asked.

"Do you honestly think You-Know-Who hid a Horcrux in Hogsmeade?" He asked her looking bewildered. Hermione blushed.

"Well, no," she blurted, "It was Ron's idea, and it's the closest we can get to Hogwarts. It's too dangerous for them to go in."

"So you just sent them off on a random mission," Draco asked, looking disbelieving, "That doesn't sound like you." Hermione wanted to know how he knew what did or didn't sound like her, but Hermione let it slide.

"They're getting too restless," said Hermione moaned, "They were going to do something rash."

"That's true," Draco agreed too easily, "They were always thick-headed." Draco grinned roguishly at her. Hermione rolled her eyes, but let out a half-hearted laugh.

"So do I get to go on a mission now?" Draco asked innocently. Hermione became wary at once. Draco Malfoy was not innocent.

"I don't know. Why?" Hermione asked slowly.

"I've been cooped up for so long," he moaned, but there was a wicked twinkle in his eyes, "I might do something rash." He broke into a full grin.

"Haha," Hermione said dryly, "I'll think about it." Draco looked surprised for a moment as he didn't expect her to actually consider it. She began to leave, but Draco didn't want to their conversation to end. He had been cooped up alone for weeks. So he did do something rash. As soon as her back was turned he tackled her. Hermione shrieked.

She started to fall face first, but Draco managed to turn her around in midair. His face landed in the middle of her chest, and he waited a moment too long before moving. Hermione's face burned as she pushed him away. But Draco just laughed it off and said, "You scream like a girl."

"What did you expect?" Hermione asked, once she was able to get her thoughts together. Rather than getting off her, Draco merely rearranged himself so that his head rested on her shoulder and his arms circled her waist. She could feel his breath hitting her neck, and it was proving to be a huge distraction. "I am girl," she finished lamely. Draco let out a hoarse chuckle.

"I've noticed," He replied roughly. He moved suddenly, causing Hermione's breath to catch in her throat. He slid his arms from around her and propped himself on one elbow. He used his other hand to brush her ruffled curls off her face and neck.

Hermione remained completely still, watching as he ran his fingers gently across her shoulder and collarbone. She shivered involuntarily. Draco's hand froze and his eyes met hers, shocked and pleased by her body's reaction. He kept her gaze as he lowered his lips to her neck. Hermione's eyes fluttered closed. He pressed his lips down gently at the base of her neck, and Hermione gasped quietly and her eyes popped back open. She could feel him smirking against her skin.

Draco's breathing became more rapid as he continued kissing along her neck. His kisses became more urgent as he progressed upwards. He slid his free hand behind her neck to pull her closer. Then moved up her neck and grazed his teeth along her earlobe, letting his tongue slide across it between his teeth. Hermione turned to look at him questioning him. He could tell this technique was new to her.

He placed his lips over hers softly, and she responded immediately. She wound her hands into his silky hair. He tried to pull away, wanting the kiss to be short and sweet. But Hermione took control then. She leaned forward kissing him more forcefully. Draco was taken aback and did not stop her from reversing the roles and rolling on top of him. Draco struggled to gain control, but there was no stopping her. Her hands were everywhere, distracting him, they moved from his hair to his face and shoulders.

"Hermione, Hermione," he managed to gasp as she pulled away for a second to breathe. "Slow down," he managed to get in before she went at him again. He grabbed her hands before she could. He pulled her hands down, and held them securely against his chest. She breathed deeply trying to catch her breath.

She realized that he was not going to release her in the near future. So she laid her head on his chest, above her hands, and stretched the rest of her body. Draco groaned slightly as her body moved against his. He released her hands, and wrapped his own around her lower back. Hermione made no move to kiss him again, which Draco noted with disappointment. It seemed that reality had hit her, and now she was embarrassed by her lack of self-control.

Draco closed his eyes enjoying the moment or complete togetherness. He felt normal…complete. That thought terrified him, but he shoved the thought back and held her tighter nuzzling his head into her soft curls. She was his, even if it was just for a moment. Hermione's face stopped burning and she rubbed it over his chest inhaling his masculine scent. She couldn't place the scent, but it was warm and comforting nonetheless.

After a few moments though, she pulled away reluctantly. She rolled off of him and lay next to him silently. She watched the ceiling for a while, and sometime during that period their hands intertwined. They remained like that for a long time, without saying a word. Hermione's eyes drifted closed, tired from waking up so early that morning.

When Hermione awoke she was startled and did not remember how she could have dozed off. She sat up rubbing her eyes. She was on the bed in the spare room, Draco's room. He must have carried her there, because the last thing she remembered was lying on the floor in the hallway. She looked around sleepily until she saw Draco's expensive looking watch lying on the bedside table. Her eyes almost popped out. It was 9 o'clock! She had been asleep for hours.

She rolled out of bed, pausing to stretch and let out a huge yawn. She had been asleep for so long, how could she still be tired? She shuffled out of the room and found Draco in the kitchen eating dinner.

"Morning sunshine," he said after swallowing. He motioned for her to join him. She sat down across from him, grabbing a piece of toast and spreading the canned beans on top. Hermione could tell Draco had scrounged through the cupboards to find something edible. They ate quickly and Hermione cleared the dishes, and was surprised when Draco rolled up his sleeves and began washing them.

"Well, if you have this under control," Hermione said, stifling a yawn, "I'm going to go back to bed." Draco nodded. Hermione went back to her regular room and changed into her pajamas. But as soon as she lied down her mind became over active. First she started fretting about Ron and Harry, they were supposed to be back by nightfall and anything could have happened to them. Then her thoughts turned to Ginny and worrying about the other Weasleys, the rest of the Order, and Luna, and Neville…After about an hour of this (and much anxious pacing) Hermione decided to get some warm milk. On her way downstairs she passed Draco's room and noticed the light was still on.

On a sudden impulse she knocked on his door. "Granger," Draco called uncertainly, she heard him hurrying over to open the door. When Draco saw Hermione at his door looking downcast in her pajama bottoms and a t-shirt, he panicked. "Is everything okay?" He asked urgently looking down the hallway.

"No," Hermione replied, suddenly feeling stupid for coming, "I just…I couldn't sleep." Draco chuckled at that.

"You had no trouble sleeping before," he laughed, but stopped suddenly as Hermione began to tear. "Her…Hermione?" He asked, using her first name with only some doubts. She was crying fully now.

"It's just," she gasped between sobs, "I'm so worried about Harry and Ron –they should have been back by now…and this stupid war …and you…everyone…" She trailed off, still sobbing and gasping for air. Draco was bewildered. He did not know how to comfort a crying woman. He wrapped his arms around her, pulling her head close against his chest, and attempting to make a soothing 'shhhing' sound. They stood like that for several minutes and Draco felt her hot tears soaking into his shirt.

He felt her breathing slow and she pulled away. Her eyes were red and puffy and she sniffled trying to wipe away her tears. "Sorry," she said her voice surprisingly clear. "I don't know why I broke down like that." She paused, hesitated and then continued, "The room just reminds me of Ginny and then I remember all of the good times, before this stupid war."

"Do you want to sleep in here with me," Draco asked, not knowing where the last part came from. He regretted it for a moment, waiting for the sting of rejection that was unknown to him. But it never came.

"By sleep, I mean just sleep," Hermione warned nervously. Draco's head went into overdrive. He tried to keep his thoughts under control, and PG.

"Sleep is good," Draco responded, his famous smirk breaking out across his face, "Unless you had something else in mind." Hermione blushed furiously.

"Shut up," she muttered, stalking past him to the other side of the bed. She ignored his sniggers and climbed into the bed. She ignored him as she felt him get into bed too, and kept her back towards him. She heard rustling and then the bed shifted again as Draco wrapped his arms around her. She relaxed almost immediately. His arms were cool and refreshing against her hot skin.

"G'night," Draco murmured kissing her neck.

"Mmm," Hermione responded sleepily, snuggling into his embrace.

Hermione awoke with a start the next morning. There was a large bang that had awoken her from her deep sleep. She looked around in confusion. Draco was no longer in bed. She heard shuffling and muffled voices downstairs. She jumped out of bed, searching frantically for her wand. She ran into the hallway towards her room, where she had left her wand, but was stopped when she bumped into Draco. His wand was at the ready, and he pressed a finger to his lips. She followed him as he crept towards the source of the commotion.

She hurried close behind him just in time to hear him breathe a sigh a release. He turned around and rolled his eyes. Harry and Ron were back.

"Boys," Hermione exclaimed, relieved. They looked up startled.

"We were hoping not to wake you," Ron replied awkwardly.

"Well you failed," Draco retorted, Ron turned red and muttered something unintelligible under his breath.

"We didn't find anything," Harry stated simply, then walked off, putting an abrupt end to their discussion.

* * *

"No, Harry," Hermione interrupted quickly. "You almost got caught in Hogsmeade, we cannot risk losing you again." Harry rolled his eyes, while Draco and Ron watched the argument silently.

"Hermione I've faced Vol-You-Know-Who several times," Harry countered, adding sarcastically, "I think I can handle a little trip to Diagon Alley."

"No," Hermione repeated harshly, "If Death Eaters were looking for you in Hogsmeade they will definitely be in Diagon Alley."

"You are not going there alone," Harry argued, knowing now that he was not going to win this argument.

"I'll go with her," Ron offered. Harry subtly glanced to gauge Malfoy's reaction, but he didn't notice the disappointment in his eyes or the jealousy. Harry nodded, and sighed.

"Fine," Harry said. Hermione smiled softly, trying to hide her smirk, she was elated that she had won that argument.

The next morning Ron and Hermione left for Diagon Alley. Hidden beneath the cloak, they apparated into the crowded muggle street in front of The Leaky Cauldron. The snuck inside, carefully avoiding the hustle and bustle of the muggles surrounding them. Hermione almost breathed a sigh of relief once they entered Diagon Alley, but the sight that met her eyes…

The once popular wizard's street was almost completely deserted, except for a few small groups scattered throughout the street. Hermione subconsciously moved closer to Ron, but he too was looking worried, and that did nothing to comfort Hermione's thoughts.

She became paranoid, constantly craning her neck to look behind her. Ron was doing the same thing, and Hermione huffed inwardly cursing her own cowardice. She squared her shoulder and summoned all her Gryffindor courage.

"Come on," she hissed, pulling Ron towards some deserted shops. One stuck out particularly. It was Ollivander's, Hermione's heart ached as she saw the broken windows, but they entered stealthily anyway. Hermione stepped out from under the cloak, and quickly covered herself with a disillusionment charm. She was no Dumbledore, but it would do. She began moving through the stacks of wands. They stayed there for quite some time, searching blindly through the stacks. Occasionally, Hermione would pull out her own wand and performs some random spells in a useless attempt to uncover something.

After what seemed like hours Hermione sighed in defeat. "There's nothing here." They left the shop defeated, but searched the rest of the alley carefully. The whole time Hermione was anxious, always certain that they would be discovered. At one point Hermione had to drag Ron away from Weasley's Wizard Wheezes. At long last they had completed their search. They reached the end of the street and the entrance to Knockturn Alley. Hermione peered down the street curiously, deep down she knew that they should search it, but the sun had long past set and she promised Harry they would be back that night. In addition, she was terrified and was not comfortable going down there alone… or with Ron.

* * *

**Side Note: If you haven't checked out J.K. Rowling's announcement about her new 'reading experience' Pottermore, you should check it out. I can't wait till the site is up!**

**Preview for Chapter 17:**

They both hurried upstairs, Hermione with her robes hiked above her knees and Draco attempting to climb the stairs without splitting his pants. It would have been a comical sight if Harry and Ron had not ruined the moment by apparating in much sooner than expected. They were both panting and looked panicked.


	17. How to Hide a Horcrux

**A/N: Sorry it's been so long since my last update! I meant to do it before I went on holiday, but I didn't get a chance. I just got back from the Wizarding World of Harry Potter in Florida...incredible! I am currently suffering from Butterbeer withdrawl :)**

**Thanks to all my lovely reviewers: NessaLikeABoss, gilmoregirlrock, xoRetributionox, and Lady Kazonei **

**Disclaimer: I own the bits of scrap paper I used to write the idea for this fanfic down on and...that's about it. All credit for characters, locations etc. go to J.K. Rowling**

Chapter 17 – How to Hide a Horcrux

When they returned to Number 12 Grimmauld Place an interesting site met their eyes. Harry was sitting on the stairs with his head in his hands, while Draco paced the landing. When Ron and Hermione arrived they both looked up anxiously.

"You said you would be back before sundown," Harry scolded, "We've been worried sick." Hermione looked at both of their worried faces, and started to giggle.

"You sound like an old woman," Hermione said between fits laughter. All three of the boys rolled their eyes at her. Ron headed towards the kitchen, and after a pointed look from Hermione Draco followed.

"Harry?" Hermione asked anxiously. Harry looked at her, and she tried to come up with the right words. She knew he hated talking about Dumbledore, but she now she needed him to. "Last year, after one of your meetings with Dumbledore I remember you saying something about a shop you-know-who worked at…" She trailed off.

"Yeah, Borgin and Burkes," Harry replied.

Hermione nodded to herself, and muttered, "I knew it." Then louder she replied, "Isn't that the one in Knockturn Alley?"

"Yeah," said Harry excitedly following her train of thought, "Do you think…?"

"We walked down there today, and I thought we should check it out," Hermione responded eagerly.

"We will all have to go," Harry said quickly, paying no attention to Hermione's disapproval. "The shop is small, and we are going to need a chance to look around, so two of us will have to cause a distraction."

"We'll have to stop by Fred and George's joke shop, I'm sure they'll have something that will cause a commotion," responded Hermione thoughtfully. They followed Ron and Draco into the kitchen still in deep discussion. They filled Draco and Ron in on the plans.

Two days later they were back in Diagon Alley. Harry was ecstatic, after months of doing nothing but hiding and researching he was thrilled with the constant action of the past week. It was decided that Harry and Ron would apparate first beneath the cover of the invisibility cloak. Hermione and Draco would follow after using some of the leftover pollyjuice potion. Then they would cause a commotion.

"Come on Draco," Hermione called through his door. "We have to leave, stop fixing you hair and let's go." Draco came out of the room with a horrified expression on his face. He had taken the form of a very unattractive middle-aged man. He was short, with mousy brown hair, and a round shiny face. Hermione laughed at his horror.

"This is so unfair," he moaned, "You almost look as good as normal."

Hermione began to laugh, it was true she didn't look terrible, but then she stopped, "Wait, did you just say I normally look good?"

"No," Draco responded too quickly. Hermione smirked before grabbing his arm and apparating to Diagon Alley. This time Hermione was prepared for her surroundings, what she wasn't prepared for was how different it felt this time. She was almost at ease as they walked towards the joke shop. Hermione found that she had to remind herself to act anxious, but to be honest she was more relaxed out in the open, than she was hidden with Ron under the invisibility cloak.

They managed to squeeze into the crowded shop. They remained close to each other, as they browsed possible decoys. They had only been there a few minutes when Hermione saw one of the twins helping a customer near by. She turned away quickly, not wanting to be recognized. Draco grabbed her hand, and pulled her away, squeezing her hand reassuringly. He grabbed a couple of promising packages off the shelf and quickly paid the assistant that was manning the cash.

They entered Knockturn Alley cautiously. Hermione gripped the galleon in her pocket tightly as she looked around the street. Her other hand remained in Draco's as he pulled her along. She felt the galleon heat up in her hand, and quickly grasped Draco's arm so he felt the heat.

Draco nodded and pulled the packages out of his pocket subtly, just as they were approaching their target. "See that alley there," Draco motioned to it with his head, Hermione nodded, "Once I throw these, get there as quickly and quietly as you can." Hermione nodded. Draco pulled his hand away from hers. Hermione kept walking as Draco pretended to look into a store window. Hermione was just approaching the dingy ally when she saw Draco throw the items towards the shop before hurrying towards Hermione. She saw the items hit the window, destroying the stands on the street. It made a shrill shrieking noise and created large puffs of dark green smoke.

Hermione had to adjust to her new height. Under the work of the pollyjuice potion, she was now about 5'8 which made it hard for her to be inconspicuous. But her straight, long, black hair surrounded her face, and helped her blend into the shadows of the alley. She continued to hurry down it, suddenly nervous without Draco's presence. She heard the noises fading as she got further away from the disturbance, and then she heard sharp, urgent footsteps behind her. When she turned around she was startled to see that Draco was returning to his normal appearance. His expression told her that she too was changing back.

"Let's go," Draco said, and without waiting for a response, he apparated them back to Grimmauld Place. Hermione felt immense pressure squeezing in on her, but she closed her eyes until the pressure subsided and when she opened them she was back in the front hall of Grimmauld Place.

Hermione began to step away from Draco, but stumbled over her too long robes. She remembered the added height from the pollyjuice potion, and then looked back at Draco and saw that his robes were now several inches too short, and tight across his shoulders. It looked extremely uncomfortable.

They both hurried upstairs, Hermione with her robes hiked above her knees and Draco attempting to climb the stairs without splitting his pants. It would have been a comical sight if Harry and Ron had not ruined the moment by apparating in much sooner than expected. They were both panting and looked panicked.

"What happened?" asked Hermione quickly. "You weren't supposed to be back yet."

"We heard the decoy go off and the guy in the shop ran outside, so we started looking around. We didn't find anything in the back so we went back to check the front in case we missed anything in the shop. We had the cloak off so we could search faster and then the guy came back in and saw us. Harry shot a memory charm at him before we apparated, but we are not sure if it actually hit him" Ron explained.

"Did he recognize you?" Hermione asked.

"Definitely."

"But you're sure there was nothing in the shop?" Hermione asked, this time disappointed.

"Well we didn't get to finish searching, did we?" replied Ron thoughtfully and a shred of hope shimmered in Hermione's eyes.

"There was nothing there," Harry confirmed. "I would have felt it."

"Are you sure?" Hermione asked uncertainly. Harry nodded. Hermione looked ready to question him, but Draco intervened.

"He has a very powerful connection to the Dark Lord Hermione, and a Horcrux is very powerful magic, he'll sense it if one is near," he explained to her. Hermione opened her mouth then closed it, while Harry and Ron just looked confused. Draco felt the awkward tension rising so quickly planned his escape.

"As much fun as this little gathering in," Draco mocked, "I think I'm going to go and cut myself out of these robes." He attempted (and failed) to strut back to his room in his tight attire. Hermione followed a few moments later frowning at the failure of their best idea so far, and the worry from the new dangers.

Being spotted added to the rising tension in Grimmauld Place. And by the next day the group realized that being spotted in the Wizarding community could give away their whereabouts. It took them the entire day to gather their belongings from around the house in addition to anything else they might need and pack it all up. All day long the four of them could be seen hurrying around the house collecting anything they might need barely saying a word to each other. They even stopped at a muggle grocery store to stock up on food. At the crack of dawn the next morning they departed from Grimmauld Place to set up their tent in a more discreet location.

Like always, tent life was difficult to adjust to. Hermione had forgotten about the exhaustion from guarding the tent, the cramped space, and now there was the constant edge of hunger. They had used up their store if food within the first week, and Hermione's patience was also quickly fading. The small space made dealing with Ron and Draco even more difficult. It was early March, and the chilly, damp, weather did nothing to improve their living conditions.

Hermione entered the tent after completing her watch. The sun was rising, but that did nothing to warm the bone-deep chill that Hermione felt. She moved her wand over her clothes quickly to dry the damp mist, and warm herself up before she grabbed yet another book. They had used up the Solution de L'eau, so she needed to find another way to destroy the next Horcrux whenever they found it.

Harry had barely been awake for five minutes when Hermione once again bombarded him with another question. "What about the orphanage?" she asked, not bothering to say good morning. "Dumbledore mentioned it, and you said he showed you that memory of it?" Hermione asked eagerly, she clearly had been waiting for him to wake up and hear her suggestions. Harry seemed to consider her suggestion for a moment, but shook his head. Hermione looked crestfallen for a moment and waited for his explanation.

"He hated that orphanage," Harry said slowly, still thinking, "I don't think he would have gone back to hide part of his soul there. Plus," he added, "He left the locket near a place where the orphanage took him, the diary was when he was sixteen, and the ring represented the family he never had. I think each Horcrux is from a different point in his life, or symbolizes it at least."

Hermione pulled out the piece of parchment with possible locations listed. So far they had: Hogwarts, Hogsmeade, Diagon Alley, Knockturn Alley, and Hermione just added the orphanage. She crossed it out still somewhat putout, they had crossed off everything except Hogwarts. She put the quill down and stretched. Ron was awake now, and alternately glaring at Draco's sleeping form and his cereal, but Hermione ignored him too deep in thought. Harry was silent, and Hermione knew he too was deep in thought.

"That's it," he muttered at last. Hermione looked up suddenly.

"What?" Hermione asked eagerly. But Harry did not look as excited as she did, which worried her slightly. Ron came to join them now, as Draco had left the tent as was sitting outside and out of earshot.

"Godric's Hollow," Harry said quietly. Hermione's heart stopped. She knew this would come up eventually, she actually thought he would bring it up sooner. A feeling of dread settled over her, and she began thinking quickly, desperate to come up with an alternative.

"Harry I don't think that is such a good idea," Hermione said gently. Harry's face was sullen, and he looked ready to protest, but Hermione ploughed through her slightly prepared speech. "It could be a trap Harry. Anyone who knows you would know that you would want to go there. It seems like the most logical place to go...the place where it all started." Harry was silent, and Ron did not take a side, so she continued.

"I have a bad feeling that if we go there we are going to get caught, or something terrible is going to happen. And I really don't think You-Know-Who would place a Horcrux in the place where he was almost defeated." She waited for a response, but did not get one right away.

"Fine," Harry agreed reluctantly, "We won't go to Godric's Hollow yet," Hermione began to protest, but he cut her off, "if we can think of another option today."

"Harry," Hermione sighed, "You know that is completely unreasonable." He smiled, but without true humour.

"We'll have to go there eventually 'mione, why not make it sooner rather than later?" He asked. Hermione knew he was trying to persuade her, but she would not be swayed.

"Fine," said Hermione after a long silence. Ron look surprised and Harry looked triumphant, but Hermione continued, "If I come up with another place you agree that we will wait to go to Godric's Hollow?" Harry's smug look was gone in an instant, but he could not go back on his word, so he just nodded. Suddenly cheerful Hermione drew away from the table and settled down with her book. The book was a prop really, it was not going to help her think of a new location, but it helped her focus. The boys watched her curiously for a while, but got bored soon after. After an hour Hermione gave up with the book and left the tent to stretch her legs.

Draco was sitting outside, leaning casually against the tent. He looked up when Hermione came out and sat next to him.

"So did you need a break from the dynamic duo?" He asked casually.

"No, I just needed some fresh air to help me think," she said, not bothering to explain the situation. Hermione had never faced a problem that she couldn't handle, so she was not going to give up yet.

"Harry wants to scout out another location already, but all we have left on the list is Hogwarts and we can't possibly go there." Draco nodded and stared into the distance pensively. "We figure that the Horcruxes are hidden in places that represent different parts of his life, or accomplishments." They sat there for a long while in silence. Hermione was going through everything she could remember from Harry's lessons with Dumbledore. _The locket, the cup, the snake, the orphanage, the cave, the ring, the Gaunt House…_ "I can't believe he killed his own father…and grandparents," Hermione said out loud with a look of pure disgust on her face. Draco raised his eyebrows in surprise.

"He killed them." Draco repeated in shock. This surprised him, even though he knew about many of the hideous crimes he had committed. "He was always so obsessed with heritage and pure-bloods. I never thought he would…" He trailed off.

"Well they were all muggles, and his father abandoned his mother before he was born," Hermione explained an idea blooming in the corner of her mind. "That was when we think he made his first Horcrux." They looked at each other for a moment, both with excited expressions on their faces. "You don't think…" Hermione began, her eyes shining with anticipation. She jumped to her feet and Draco followed, hot on her heals, into the tent.

"I've got it!" She exclaimed, startling Harry and Ron. Ron looked up in shock, while Harry looked mildly disbelieving.

"Tom Riddle's House! Well his father's," she quickly added to explain herself more fully. Ron looked impressed.

"That's brilliant," Ron said, instantly agreeing. "Didn't he kill them to make the first Horcrux? That ring Dumbledore was wearing?"

"Exactly," Draco added in. Surprising them all, not only by answering Ron's question, but also by agreeing with him. Ron responded by saying nothing, but the back of his neck turned bright red, almost as red as his hair. Harry, however, still looked doubtful.

"I don't know Hermione," He began, "Dumbledore said he found the ring at the Gaunt House. I don't think he would put another one in the Riddle's House. I think he chose to put it at the Gaunt house because it showed his pure-blood lineage." Hermione wasn't discouraged. She knew Harry was being extra stubborn because he wanted to go to Godric's Hollow, but she decided not to mention it.

"Yes, but using the Riddle House would be to separate himself from his muggle heritage, it would show that he erased them from his own history and celebrate the fact that he was able to use them to reach his own goals," She said quickly in one breath. "Even if I'm wrong, I don't see the harm in checking the place out. It would be better to be cautious and check it. If nothing is there, no harm done. But if there is a Horcrux there, we are one step closer to ending this war."

"Ok," Harry sighed in defeat, knowing that Godric's Hollow would have to wait a little bit longer. "When do you want to go?"

"Why not today?" Hermione suggested eagerly. "We will have to take the cloak, and the sun won't be setting for another couple of hours, so we could still be back before nightfall." Harry nodded.

"There is no point of all of us going," Harry decided. Hermione nodded, but waited a moment before carefully making her suggestion.

"I think Harry and I should go," she said, looking apologetically at Ron for a moment before her gaze hardened, "If you two can manage not to kill each other while we are gone." The boys looked away only feeling a little guilty under her harsh stare. Harry smirked at the Professor McGonogallish look that she had on her face, before interrupting.

"Well since that is settled, let's get going," he said grabbing the invisibility cloak and heading towards the ten's exit. He looked back at Ron, and said in a darkly significant voice, "Don't do anything I wouldn't do." He shot a mock glare towards Draco, who smirked at his theatrics, while Ron snorted. Hermione was not as amused and cuffed the back of his head lightly.

"Don't be stupid Harry," she snapped snatching the cloak away from him and unfolding it. Then she looked warningly at the other two boys, "If you two harm each other in any way, I will double the damage when I get back. Don't you dare laugh Ronald I am more than capable of dueling you both." She pulled out her wand, and Ron took the hint sobering up immediately, he put his hands up in mock surrender, and she lowered her wand smiling slightly.

"Like she would have done anything," Draco muttered under his breath, too low for her to hear, but Harry and Ron heard it.

"You two better watch out," he warned sniggering, "She could always knit you one of those elf hats." All three of them burst out laughing at her expense.

Hermione who was halfway out of the tent called back, "I heard that Harry!" Still chortling Harry followed her out of the tent, leaving Ron and Draco in uncomfortable silence.

"Ready?" Hermione asked taking hold of his arm. She focused extra hard on their location, having never seen the house in question. Hermione waited a couple of seconds before opening her eyes, praying that she had gotten in right.

"What are you waiting for?" Harry hissed as he grabbed the cloak and threw it over them quickly. She opened her eyes a breathed a sigh of relief. She hurried behind Harry, who seemed to know the way, around the house to a back door. The door was unlocked, so they entered silently and pulled off the cloak and began searching the house. Hermione thought there was an eerie feeling in the house, but she knew it was only because she knew that the previous occupants had been murdered there.

Hermione continued through the house sporadically performing a spell to reveal any hidden magic, but always with her wand alert in front of her. She heard Harry hurrying down the stairs calling for her. She ran to meet him, tightening her grip on her wand.

"What is it?" she panted, watching him clutch his forehead. "Is there one upstairs?" she asked, moving past him and onto the first step. He grabbed her arm pulling her back.

"No, come on," he said pulling her out of the house and once again concealing them in the cloak.

"Harry where are we…" Hermione began. But Harry just shushed her and continued to drag her down the hill on which the house was perched and closer to the town. About halfway down the hill he stopped and looked around.

"There," he said pointing towards a small cemetery on the very outskirts of the village. If he hadn't pointed it out to her she probably would have looked right past it. "It's the graveyard where he came back," Harry explained. "There is one there, I am positive." He started to walk towards it again, but Hermione stopped him.

"Wait," she said urgently. "Harry we have no idea what guards he has put up to protect it, and it is still light out we do not want to risk getting caught." Harry looked ready to protest, but she continued, "Dumbledore said he did a lot of research before he was sure about the cave. I know that you feel it Harry, but we need to be prepared to get the Horcrux and defeat it, we do not want to be caught unaware and risk someone's life."

"Let's go, Harry," she pulled him away, and apparated back to the tent. They stumbled back to the tent, still in the confines of the cloak. As soon as they entered Hermione could tell that a fight had already broken out. Ron was sitting at the table with a swollen hand, and Draco had a black eye and a bloody cut beneath it. Harry paid no attention to either of them and instead sat down at the table and closed his eyes, rubbing his scar vigorously as if to erase it from his forehead.

"You found one?" Draco asked sitting up curiously on his bunk. Ron looked up too, but said nothing, with a sour look on his face.

"Yes," responded Hermione tersely, as she began dumping the contents of her purse onto her bed in search of an unknown object. She brought a small box to the table and opened it pulling out a long fabric wrap.

"Here," said Hermione as she waved her wand over Ron's hand, mending it as she had Draco's leg. There was a loud crack, and swelling reduced significantly. Ron inhaled sharply, but did not make any other sounds of complaint or discomfort. She then wrapped his wrist gently, still frowning at the two of them. Ron was blushing furiously, and Draco pretended to ignore them haughtily.

"Thanks," Ron muttered quietly. Hermione did not respond, clearly still angry with them, but she moved towards the bunk and climbed up the first step of the ladder.

"Let me see your eye," she demanded softly.

"I can do it," he snapped.

"Please," Hermione scoffed, "If you could, you would have fixed it already." She didn't give him time to respond, and quickly waived her wand over his face healing the black eye and cut. He didn't say anything after that, but Hermione was too frustrated to care. It took all her self-control not to hex them both, but there were more important issues to deal with now that they found another Horcrux.

Hermione sat down at the table silently, waiting for Harry to tell them what happened. After a long silence, Ron prompted him by asking, "So you found one in the house?"

"No, it was in the graveyard," Harry said looking up at last, his face was taut with stress and his eyes were damp. Hermione knew that he was thinking about Cedric, but did not say anything. "The one where he came back."

* * *

**A/N: Thanks for sticking with me so far. I will try to update more now that I'm back...I always say that and then update less frequently - I should probably stop saying it then :)**

**So until my next update here is a preview of the next chapter:  
**"SECTUMSEMPRA!" Harry hollered.

**Hmmm I remember the last time Harry used that spell :o**


	18. Grave Adventures

**A/N: Here is Chapter 18! I had a lot of fun writing this and the next chapter, hopefully you enjoy reading it.**

**Thanks for the reviews: xoRetributionox, MarissaRosee, Iheartnargles (I love you name!)**

**Disclaimer: I don't own anything, all rights to J.K. Rowling.**

Chapter 18 – Grave Adventures 

Hermione was up at the crack of dawn the next morning. She and Harry decided that it was best if she go back to the cemetery alone to scout out the area. Draco was already awake when she was preparing to leave. He watched her sullenly as she pulled on her travelling cloak and repacked her purse. Finally as she was just about to leave he spoke.

"I don't like that you are going by yourself."

"Well you should have thought about that yesterday before you and Ron decided to have a petty little fist fight," she replied tartly. Draco sighed; he knew she would not let it go easily.

"It wasn't petty," Draco replied seriously, and Hermione scoffed. "You're worth fighting for." He said the last part so quietly that Hermione was sure she misheard him. But he turned away so quickly that Hermione knew she was not mistaken. Her brain was numb, so she grabbed her purse and the invisibility cloak and fled the tent.

"Oh Harry!" Hermione exclaimed as she had run out of the tent and straight into Harry. "Sorry," she laughed. Harry smiled at her slightly, and she could tell that he knew who she was running from.

"You're leaving now?" He asked casually. Hermione nodded. "Be careful."

"I'll be fine Harry," she replied. "I should be back within an hour or two." She pulled on the cloak and left the boundaries of the ten's protective spells before turning on the spot and disappearing with a crack.

The small town was deserted, and Hermione headed to the cemetery with ease. Hermione had thought the house was eerie, but the cemetery was way creepier. Hermione walked through the rows of ancient looking headstones, each one was intricately designed and humungous.

After a few minutes Hermione found the one she was looking for. She shivered and gripped her wand tightly as she approached the figure. It looked like a vey gothic impression of the Grim Reaper. Hermione walked around the headstone very slowly examining from every angle before carefully placing her hand on it. Her hand tingled immediately, she pulled it away quickly. She remembered the feeling that the Horcrux caused. Even she could sense the magic.

Hermione then focused on finding how to get to the Horcrux. But no matter how hard she looked or what spell she tried she could not find any secret passages or compartments that could hold the Horcrux. She was interrupted however when a small group of people entered the cemetery. She backed away from them slowly, not wanting to be discovered.

She headed back to the hill near the Riddle House. She sat on the hill making sure that the cloak covered her completely before pulling out a piece of parchment. She began marking the landmarks down on the cemetery. She centered her map around Tom Riddle Sr.'s tombstone. She marked out important points around the cemetery: the Riddle House, the small and shady looking shed within cemetery, and the pathway that Hermione was sure led back towards the Gaunt House were among them. After completing her map she performed s tricky spell to disguise the map as an old black and white picture of the town.

* * *

The tension in the tent was unbearable that afternoon. The rising anticipation was thick in the atmosphere, and it caused the tent's occupants to be more irksome than usual. Hermione began rereading all her notes on Horcruxes, Ron paced the tent anxiously, and Harry sat at the table rolling the small vial of phoenix tears they had found at Grimmauld Place between his hands. Draco watched this all from his bunk with a blank expression on his face.

After what seemed like years Harry said, "I think it's time." This one sentence changed the atmosphere drastically. Ron stopped pacing and headed outside to take down the protective spells, Hermione put her notes away and grabbed her purse, Draco jumped easily off the top bunk and waited silently next to Hermione as Harry grabbed his invisibility cloak and pocketing the phoenix tears in the drawstring pouch Hagrid had given him.

They exited the tent in silence, and apparated in two groups to the small village; Hermione and Ron, and Harry and Draco. As planned, Harry and Draco were concealed under the invisibility cloak, because they were the most obvious targets. Ron's giveaway red hair was covered by the hood of his jacket, so if anyone had been out late that evening they would not have noticed anything strange about the couple walking casually towards the cemetery.

Hermione and Ron came to a stop in front of Tom Riddle's headstone, and she looked to where she assumed Harry was standing and whispered, "Any ideas?" She heard Draco snigger from her other side and turned around to face them. She heard movement as Harry approached the stone, predictably to touch it as she had, and as Dumbledore had done in the cave.

"When we were in the cave, the passage needed payment to let us through," Harry suggested quietly, "It needed a blood sacrifice." Before any of the boys could do anything, Hermione pulled her silver knife (that she usually used for potions) from her pocket, and flicked it against her thumb. The boys all made sounds of ignorant protest, but Hermione was already pressing her bloodstained thumb to the heart of the headstone, where she had felt the most powerful magic earlier that day. She waited. Her blood dripped down the cool stone, but apart from that nothing happened.

"It doesn't need a sacrifice," Draco hissed. Hermione heard movement, and felt the cloak brush against her arm as Draco lifted his hands to the stone. There was silence for a moment. Hermione moved her thumb away from the stone and ran her wand along the wound, which stitched itself up neatly. A narrow red scar was left, and her finger still stung from the cut.

"I don't understand," Draco murmured, "it feels as if the spell in incomplete, like there is a piece missing. Hermione heard rustling and assumed he had stepped back again.

"Like a piece of the headstone," Hermione asked curiously, as she began inspecting it for cracks or broken pieces.

"Isn't it supposed to be the Grim Reaper or Death or whatever?" Ron asked suddenly. Hermione nodded, but did not stop inspecting the fine stone. "Well shouldn't have that axe thing he carries around?"

"That's brilliant Ron!" Hermione exclaimed quietly. And sure enough, the figure had one hand enclosed in a fist against its chest. "Look, there is a space in the middle; he is supposed to be holding it there." Her heart fell suddenly. "But if there is piece missing, won't he have that hidden somewhere else, in a vault or something?"

"No," Harry answered his voice layered with excitement, anticipation, and fear. "He wouldn't want to be connected to his muggle father's grave. He probably hid it here somewhere, so no one would think twice if they saw it. Plus that would make it easier if he ever decided to come back here."

"Let's split up and look," Hermione suggested. Her heart pounded frantically as she sped through the other headstones looking for anything that looked as if it did not belong. They searched the cemetery meticulously, but found nothing. Hermione pulled out the picture of the town and tapped it with her wand. It transformed into her map and she searched it for anything she might have overlooked. The she felt all three boys around her, looking over her shoulder.

"Turn in sideways," Draco instructed in an odd voice. Hermione looked towards his voice, but could not tell where he was. She looked back at the map, and tried to see if from a different angle. "It's the Dark Mark."

"What?" Harry, Ron and Hermione asked in unison.

"Look, see Riddle's House, that's the top of the skull. And see how it slopes inwards at the cemetery, that is the bottom of the skull; that part there is the snake coming out of its mouth," He explained. Hermione saw it and trailed her finger along the diagram to the shed that was the snake. She stopped there.

"That's it," said Harry decisively. They headed towards the shed in silence. Hermione swore they could hear her heart beating, she felt as if it was about to rip right out of her chest. But she forced herself to breath, and remain calm. The shed at the end of the property looked as if it had been abandoned for years. There were blank headstones, a selection of tools, and hundreds of other random articles confined within it. After several moments Hermione saw Harry's hand floating towards her holding the long, spiked pole. Ron was right behind them.

Harry stood in front of the statue hesitating for a moment. "He's moved it," he said quietly. Hermione and Ron looked at him curiously. "This," he brandished the pole, "was still attached when I was here. He used it to hold me still. He must have put the Horcrux here after, to celebrate his return." Hermione did not dare think what lay ahead of them. She tried not to let her mind wander to the diary of the sixteen year old Tom Riddle. She always knew that was extraordinary magic, but she could not possible imagine what terrible obstacles the grown Voldemort had put between them and a precious fragment of his sole.

Harry moved forward and placed the pole in the gap, pulling off the invisibility cloak as he did so. They waited for a moment, and when nothing happened Hermione approached the grave carefully, raised her wand and whispered, "Repairo." That did it. The grave began sinking into the ground below their feet. All three of her Quidditch players had fast reflexes and were better prepared to jump out of the way; Hermione, however, began stumbling and falling down the opening.

Draco grabbed her arm, pulling her back up onto solid ground. Hermione breathed a word of thanks before pulling away to catch her breath. They looked down the gap, which had now formed a staircase leading beneath the headstone.

Harry didn't say a word; he just led the way down the staircase with his wand lighting up the narrow path. Hermione and Ron followed him. Draco hesitated for a moment before glancing around warily and following them into the darkness. They walked in along the empty path for a few moments. Hermione saw a beam of light flash towards them. Ron threw himself against Hermione, pushing her into the wall, and out of harm's way. Draco jumped backwards colliding into the corner of the wall, but Harry who was closest to the beam, was not fast enough and it hit him in the gut.

"NO Harry!" Hermione shrieked trying to get past Ron. Harry was now on the floor screaming and squirming in pain. Another beam shot out towards Ron and Hermione, but Ron pushed her further back. She tripped over a rock on the ground, but did not try to get past Ron, on the contrary she made herself as small as possible in order to protect him too.

She saw the laser like beam move again, this time back towards Harry. Without thinking Hermione grabbed the rock from the floor and threw it as hard as she could towards the beam of light. She missed, but the light sensed the motion and shot at the rock instead. By this point Harry had rolled out of the way, and was now on his feet.

"It's the Cruciatus curse," Harry gasped, still clutching his stomach. The room was innocently dark again, but they all knew the beam was waiting for its prey to move before attacking again. "I'm going to try and make it through again, you lot try and distract it." Harry darted forward quickly and they began shooting a combination of rocks and spells at the beam, it seemed thoroughly confused, and Harry managed to make it across with only some difficulty. They continued this pattern until Hermione, gasping for breath, crossed the threshold last.

They continued through the dark passageway following the light of their wands until, once again, Harry stopped suddenly. This time Ron, who was walking parallel to him, stopped and exclaimed at the same time, "Who turned out my light?" Hermione stepped forward and her wand's light went out too. Submerged in complete darkness, none of them dared move. "Peruvian Instant Darkness Powder?" Ron asked.

"I don't think it lasts that long," replied Draco, "Don't move, I'm trying to find my hand of glory." They heard shuffling, then after a moment, a slow whistle. "Ok, everyone take a small step back," he ordered. Hermione did so immediately and without question, and Harry and Ron, following her lead, did the same.

"What's there?" Harry asked suspiciously.

"There is a narrow strip of rock that leads across to the next section, but on either side there are giant holes, and I can't see what's at the bottom," Draco responded. Judging by the sound of his voice, Hermione guessed that he was about a foot ahead of her now. "I'm going to cross first, and we'll have to make a chain. Who's going to come behind me?"

"No way," Ron snorted, "I wouldn't be surprised if you led me off a cliff. Hermione exhaled angrily, but Harry spoke before she could respond.

"Hermione, why don't you go between Malfoy and Ron? And I will go at the back." He suggested. Hermione agreed, but Ron began to protest.

"I know you don't want to hear his, but he wouldn't do anything to hurt her," Harry whispered very quietly, "Trust me." Hermione barely heard him, and she wondered if Draco had heard what he said.

"Hermione where are you?" Ron asked, searching for her in the dark.

"Here," she squeaked, clearing her throat quickly. She felt his hand wrap around hers, his considerably long fingers covering her hand almost completely. From somewhere in front of her Draco reached back and grabbed her hand. They began walking very slowly and close together to avoid falling into the pits of unknown doom. The journey across was silent, all that could be heard was shuffling footsteps and harsh uneven breathing.

At long last Hermione felt Draco's hand loosen around hers, as he turned to look back, "We're all across you can let go now," he said quietly. Both Ron and Draco dropped her hands quickly, and Hermione heard Harry maneuvering himself once again at the front of the group.

With their lights restored the group ambled on. They had been walking for a short while when Ron broke the silence, "We must be getting close, we've been down here for ages."

"I don't feel anything," said Harry very quietly touching his scar.

"I think," Hermione said at last, "that it is supposed to be like maze to the Triwizard cup…or the one leading to the philosopher's stone." The boys all paused looking back at her curiously. "I mean when you found the locket, the fake one, it was pretty straightforward once you knew it was there. Difficult to obtain, but you still knew where you were heading. Now we are just following a path of obstacles. We can safely assume that Horcrux is at the end," she assured them, "but we are unaware of what or how many challenges lie between us." The boys figured she was right, as Hermione usually is, so they said nothing but followed on in silence.

They turned a corner and approached a large stone door. Unsurprisingly, it was locked. Hermione stepped forward and whipped out her wand, "Alohamora." The lock clicked and they heard the sound of several bolts moving. The door swung open very slowly.

"That seems too easy," Hermione hissed, gripping her wand more tightly. She had not expected the spell to actually work. They were all silent, and what they heard on the other side of the door surprised them.

"It's breathing," Hermione whispered under her breath. Harry shook his head.

"It's snoring." They slipped into the room quietly, hoping not to rouse the slumbering monster. Hermione bumped into Ron as she entered. He had stopped dead in front of her, and his expression was terrified.

"That's a Chimaera," his voice was soft, and filled with fear. Hermione could not see it, but she knew what it was. And the fact that it made three of the bravest boys she knew stand stock still with fear did not comfort her. The creature was terrifying even as it slept. It had the misleading body of a goat, but with a lion's head, and dragon's tail, making either end an efficient weapon.

"There is a door across the hall," Harry whispered, already heading towards it. They made it halfway across the room when they heard it. A low ferocious snarl, that made Hermione shake with fear. They turned around simultaneously, the Chimaera was awake, and it looked ready to kill.

"Stun it together," Ron suggested first aiming his wand. The Chimaera bent its hind legs, the dragon like tail swinging ferociously behind it, preparing to pounce. Four vibrant red streaks collided with the monster as it jumped, but it did not even blink. They dived out of its way as it jumped towards them. Hermione felt its paw collide with her shoulder, effectively knocking her head first into the stone wall. A sickening crack echoed throughout the room, and Hermione lay in a crumpled heap on the floor, barely hanging on to consciousness.

She heard another growl as the monster prepared to attack again, and some shouted, "Impedimenta," but the Chimaera did not slow down. She heard the spikes on its tail scrape across the floor as it chased its prey. Hermione managed to pull her head up off the ground, and saw the action continue. It seemed the Chimaera's next target was Ron as it growled again and tried to corner Ron. But Harry and Draco kept shooting a slew of spells at it. Though the spells themselves had no effect on its thick, hide like, skin, the multitude of coloured lights seemed to distract it.

The Chimaera whipped around, heading for Harry next. But its tail, swinging back in the opposite direction collided with Draco's head. Hermione saw blood spatter everywhere, but her eyes were drawn again to Harry as the monster prepared to pounce again. She pulled herself to her feet, shooting a random spell at the Chimaera in order to distract it, but it was not fooled.

"SECTUMSEMPRA!" Harry hollered. Finally, the spell made contact. It let out a brutal snarl, that quickly became a loud and angry whine. Cuts had appeared over the Chimaera's body, except for the tail which continued to thrash dangerously, and it was bleeding severely. The enraged creature lunged at Harry again, as Harry tried to jump out of its way. Hermione heard him yell, but had already begun shouting more curses at its now weakened skin.

She saw two other lines of curses also directed at it, and after a moment, three red streaks collided with it, and it fell. There was silence for a moment, and nothing could be heard expect for the dripping of the Chimaera's blood onto the cool stone floor. Harry moved first, dragging himself away from the unconscious monster.

"It's not dead, but it will be soon," Harry said. "Let's go." They hurried out of the room, not wanting to spend any more time with the chimaera. The door echoed closed behind them, and they did not have to wait long before they reached the next barrier.

* * *

**Preview:**

**"Run," he hollered. He smashed into Harry, still unbalanced from his jump, but they did not stop. "I don't know what's down there and I really do not want to find out." **


	19. Buried Treasure

**A/N: Here's the next chapter! On a completely random note: don't you hate it when you really want to hear a song, and then can't remember what song it was! That just happened to me...but I finally remembered it :)**

**Thanks to: xoRetributionox, and MarissaRosee - you guys are awesome!**

**Disclaimer: All rights to their respective owners (J.K. Rowling)**

Chapter 19 – Buried Treasure

They stood in front of the next door. Three pairs of eyes rested on the sleek onyx lock that was set deep into the door. The fourth pair of eyes was set on and onyx basin across the room. Harry's chest tightened at the sight of the basin, he had a horrible feeling that he knew what was hidden there. He approached the smooth black surface and his suspicions were confirmed. There was the large onyx key that was sure to fit the lock, it was just beneath the surface of the liquid, and Harry knew if he attempted to grab the key the potion would become solid.

The others had migrated towards him now and Ron reached for the key, once again Harry's suspicions were correct. The substance became smooth as glass trapping the key just beneath its surface. Hermione gasped recognizing the substance; it had an eerie green glow around it, but it was not the neon green colour she had expected. She looked at Harry who nodded; it was a similar potion to the one Dumbledore had drunk.

Without hesitation she conjured a goblet from thin air and dipped it into the liquid, filling it almost to the rim. Judging by what was left in the basin, it would take only three goblets to reach the key. Only a fraction of what Dumbledore had ingested, plus Hermione suspected that this version of the potion was weaker because of its translucent quality. Before anyone could stop her, Hermione had raised the glass to her lips with a curious and expectant look on her face.

"No," the boys all gasped, reaching out to take the goblet from her. But Hermione stepped away from them, raising a single finger to stop them from taking it. She gulped it down noiselessly with her eyes closed and her fingers gripping the goblet so tightly that they had turned pearly white. She stopped drinking only twice, to swallow, take a deep breath and continue.

It was not physical pain that Hermione experienced, but she knew this already. She had anticipated the emotional turmoil that she would endure, but she knew she had suffered less in her lifetime than her boys had. It was not too bad at first; reliving her childhood teasing, but the feelings of hurt and loneliness were amplified. Then she was at Hogwarts, this pain was far worse: Ron making fun of her in their first year, Malfoy calling her cruel names, Harry and Ron fighting during the triwizard tournament, her jealousy over Ron and Lavender. It was like a film over her life that only looked at the sad parts, the parts when Hermione felt weak and alone.

By the third goblet her entire body was shaking and she was gasping for breath. She heard the goblet scrape the basin and she drank deeply facing her deepest fears and regrets. She thought of Voldemort and the terror he was causing; pain ripped through her chest as she tried not to imagine Dumbledore's body falling from the topmost tower. Ron's reaction to her accepting Draco, and worse what would happen if he knew how she really felt. She felt as if an icy dagger was being repeatedly stabbed in her heart, but she managed to drain the goblet in one last mouthful, but the fear remained, and the regret lingered in her mind. She wondered if she was doing the right thing. Was she putting her feelings for Draco before her friends? Could her emotions be leading her away from finding his true motives? Was it going to ruin her friendships?

Harry held the goblet to her lips once more, but she shook her head. She could not endure anymore. "It's water," he said softly, crouching down to where she was kneeling on the floor. She drank it gratefully, and it washed away some of her worries, but the deepest wounds remained open. She opened her eyes and saw three pale boys watching her with worry etched into their bloodstained faces.

She could not imagine she looked worse than them though. The Chimaera seemed to have done more damage than she had noticed. Ron's hands and arms were completely purple underneath the dirt, and he had a thin cut along his forehead that had dripped all over his face. Draco's face was half covered in a large and messy wound from where he had been hit by the dragon tail. It looked like a jagged knife had been dragged from his cheekbone to his jaw. Harry's shirt was soaked in blood from where the lion sharp teeth had managed to grab his shoulder. But none of them seemed aware of their own states, they were all still staring at her with concerned expressions on their faces.

"Did someone get the key," she rasped out at last. Ron waved it at her as Harry helped her up. "Then I guess we should move on." She walked to the door, stumbling at first, but quickly gaining her balance. The door opened slowly again, and the passage they entered was hot and humid. It was rather dark, even by wand light, and they staggered through the passage, their injuries beginning to slow them down.

After a few moments of wary silence a muffled yell startled them. Hermione looked back and saw Ron enfolded in what looked like a silky, black cape. The cape appeared to be smothering him, but he continued to gasp, and attempt to free himself from its folds. Harry and Draco acted quickly shooting spells at the dark form trying to repel it. But its cape-like skin seemed to repel their attempts.

"It's a Lethifold," she breathed. Her wand shook as she said, "Expecto Patronum." A silver mist appeared in front of her. She tried again and again, but after drinking that wretched potion she could not think of a single happy thought. Harry noticed what she was doing, and managed to create his stag patronus just as Ron was turning a deathly shade of white. The Lethifold flew off him immediately, and swooped off to the other end of the passage. Ron was still gasping for breath and Hermione remained still staring at him in horror. Moments later they were moving again, Harry's stag gliding next to them like a floating moon.

The end of the passage was blocked by a thick mist. It seemed cooler here, and there was moisture in the air, as if they were near a waterfall. "Do you think it's safe," Harry asked, remembering the awkward golden passage in the third task. Hermione approached it hesitantly.

"I think so," she replied hesitantly, "I expect he thinks no one could get past the Chimaera, so the Lethifold would be the trap for anyone who did, and I think this mist is just to keep the Lethifold from escaping, because they only stay in warm climates." She finished speaking, but her mouth remained in an uncertain frown.

"Bubble-head charms to be safe then?" Ron asked. They each cast the spell on themselves, and then Harry crossed first disappearing in the mist.

"I think it's okay he called back," his voice still muffled, "But I think it might be poisonous, so keep the charm on until you're through." The remaining three followed and Hermione felt a cool tingling on her skin, it felt pleasant at first, but as she continued walking it stung slightly against her skin. She knew what it was almost instantly, but could not remember the name of it. The mist was actually a highly dangerous gas if inhaled, and caused a very quick death leaving the victim with singed and blackened lungs.

They made it through to the other side where Harry was waiting, his bubble-head charm already removed. "Nice one with the charms Ron," Hermione stated, "That was definitely poisonous." They looked at each other for a moment, before heading down the path. It was darker again here, and Harry became more anxious than ever.

"This is it," he said as they approached an opening in the passage. The tunnel had opened into a circular formation. There was absolutely nothing in it though, and Hermione was confused for a moment.

"I'm assuming it's hidden in the walls then," Hermione said at last. She began walking around the circle, following Harry's lead, but she was inexperienced in this type of magic, and was not sure what she was looking for. She ended up walking around the circle twice without noticing it.

"It has to be here somewhere," Harry said desperately, touching his wand to different points on the wall. Ron looked up from the other side where it looked as if he was dueling with the wall. Draco was standing in the middle of the room, looking at the floor intently.

Hermione drifted towards him automatically. "There is a concealment charm here." He said quietly. Hermione was instantly intrigued and looked at the floor, but she could not see what he saw.

"How do you know?" She asked, trying to meet his eyes, but he was focused on the floor. He ran his shoe along the ground, leaving a line there, but it disappeared almost instantly. "Does it need something to open?" She asked hesitantly. Draco was uncharacteristically quiet, and it unnerved her. She rested her hand on his arm gently, and he looked up startled. She wrapped her arms around him, not caring that Harry and Ron were in the room, and hugged him tightly. He didn't respond but moved away quickly, leaving Hermione feeling slightly rejected. But not even a second later Harry and Ron appeared behind her.

"We found it," he said, showing them the concealed floor. "Back up," he said. Without another word he got down to his knees and pulled up his sleeve, the others stumbled back quickly as he aligned his Dark Mark with a certain spot on the floor. The floor seemed to open up beneath him, and it rose around him creating a mound. Hermione shrieked, as his arm darted into the appearing hole, he pulled it out just as quickly his fingers clutching a small golden cup. He jumped off the platform, and they met him halfway.

"Run," he hollered. He smashed into Harry, still unbalanced from his jump, but they did not stop. "I don't know what's down there and I really do not want to find out," he yelled behind him to Harry and Hermione who were hot on his heels. Ron reached the mouth of the tunnel first, stopping to shoot a shield between Harry, Hermione, and Draco, and whatever was emerging behind them. The shield muffled the sounds of something squelching out of the hole. But they did not stop to look.

They ran as fast as their legs would carry them, but it felt as if the tunnel walls were closing in on them. They made it to the misty wall, casting bubble-head charms as they ran. The mist was thicker this time, and Hermione's skin stung painfully. She knew, however, that it would only disinfect the wounds; the gas only damaged the lungs and airways.

They left the bubble-head charms on as they ran, Harry once again casted the patronus to shield them from the lethifold. Hermione's legs were burning, but that was only a minor issue, she heard whatever it was squelching and getting closer. They raced past the onyx door, slamming it shut behind them, the lock clicking with finality.

They still did not stop running, past the Chimaera, who was in a mangled and bloody heap in a corner, barely managing to growl at them as they passed. Draco had already whipped out his hand of glory and they were forced to slow down as they crossed the narrow path leading to the exit. Even though Hermione was blinded by the darkness she could feel the extreme heat on either side of her, but she did not dare ask what it was.

Moments later they scrambled up the stairs leading into the graveyard. The stairs were folding up behind them, and they just made it out in time for the statue's staff to fall sealing the entrance. They sat panting for a moment, Hufflepuff's small golden cup glistening between them.

"That was not what I expected," Hermione admitted. After hearing Harry's detailed description of the cave, she had expected something similar. "I mean there were difficult obstacles to face in the cave, but it was a finer, more complex magic. This seems like he just wanted to make it as dangerous as possible."

"I know," agreed Harry, who had been surprisingly quiet so far, "It was not his usual style."

"You said he put it there after he returned?" Draco confirmed, and Harry nodded. "Ever since he came back there have been a lot of rumours flying around, mostly that he's lost his touch or stuck in the past, because he was always so obsessed with old magic. I'm guessing he did this to prove to himself that he can conquer the newer non-traditional types of magic."

They all sat in silence for a while absorbing this. After a while, Harry got to his feet and grabbed the cup, withdrawing from the group. He began to examining the cup, and Ron was rubbing his arm gingerly a few feet away. Draco used this moment to scoot closer to Hermione. "Are you okay?" They asked at the same time. Hermione laughed breathily, and Draco let out a hoarse chuckle. He wrapped his arm around her tenderly, not bothering to check if Ron and Harry were looking. Hermione nuzzled her head in the crook of his neck. Her head was pounding, and her body ached from overexertion. She felt a slow drip of blood running down her forehead, and she looked up at the large cut running down his face.

"Let me fix that," she said pulling out her wand quickly and leaning away from him. He didn't even flinch as the wound stitched itself back together. "We should get out of here." He nodded and they got to their feet gathering their few belongings and Harry and Ron before apparating away.

Hermione led the entire group this time, so they were relatively surprised when they landed in a dark alley on the outskirts of another small town. A harsh wind hit them leaving behind a strong smell of sea salt. Harry recalled, sadly, the time less than a year ago when Dumbledore had taken him to a similar location, and he felt a sudden sense of unfound foreboding.

**A/N: Sorry no preview for this one...mostly because I am too lazy to find the file on my computer :/**

**Also, if you liked the chapter (or if you didn't) please let me know in a review. I'm still working on the last chapters of this story so tell me if there is anything you are really hoping to see in this fic. I'm hoping to hit 100 reviews with this story, so your feedback is greatly appreciated! :D**


	20. A Familiar Song

**A/N: Early Update! I didn't think I was going to get this up untill next week :)**

**A BIG thank you to: MarissaRosee and purplerainn2012 - btw you have reviewed this story before :D**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing from HP.**

Chapter 20 – A Familiar Song

"Hermione, where are we?" He asked cautiously raising his wand, and looking around.

"It's a little seaside town, and a common spot for tourists, I came here with my parents a few years ago. It's not the same place Harry," she said answering his unasked question. She had looked up the orphanage, during the summer, on the internet at her parents' house before leaving for the burrow, and knew that the small town they occasionally visited was far from this one. "There is a hotel up the street, but I figured we should not go in all bloody."

Harry and Draco were the bloodiest so the disguised themselves beneath the cloak, while Hermione used a spell to clean Ron's cut, and gave him a jacket from her purse to cover the bruises.

They made their way quickly to the hotel at the end of the lane. Hermione had chosen this place particularly because of its private setup. There was one main building and several other smaller buildings around the resort that housed guests. Each building accommodated up to five families, which ensured them some privacy and a floor to themselves.

The main building was fairly empty at this early hour (it was just past dawn), a few workers could be seen scattered throughout the entrance room. Hermione approached the front desk, leaving Ron and the others just outside.

"Excuse me," she asked politely, "Are there any rooms available?" The woman looked up, she had a kindly face and Hermione recognized her from her last visit.

"For how many people?"

"Four," replied Hermione without thinking. The lady looked at her curiously, and Hermione cursed, "My parentz do not speek eenglish, so I am booking eet," she explained, adding a slight French accent her words. The woman nodded, and looked back to her computer without question.

"There is space in the Atlantic Building, it is the furthest one from the main building. If you take a left from the front doors, and keep walking straight you should find it." Hermione nodded and the women continued, "Here is your key, and you are on level four."

"Thank You," said Hermione, still with her accent. She took the key and tried to glide away as she imagined Fleur Delacour would do. She met the boys outside, and they travelled down the sandy path to the last building on the property.

They entered the building and Hermione saw that there was only one other floor occupied here. Walking past the door to the room on the first floor, Hermione pushed her key into the elevator slot and within seconds it opened. It took them directly to the fourth floor, and they were let off in a spacious entrance hall.

However, Hermione did not bother to examine her surroundings, and neither did the boys. They were all sullen and sleepy, and so no one commented or complained when the two rooms were silently chosen, even when, once again Hermione ended up sharing with Draco.

Hermione pulled their shrunken trunks out of her purse, and gave them to their owners before resizing her own and finding her pajamas. Draco was changing in the bathroom, so she changed quickly and got into bed, and was fast asleep by the time he came out.

Hermione awoke hours later, just as the sun was beginning to set, from a pain in her stomach. It growled again, so Hermione, wide wake now, got out of bed in search of some food. It was not long before she found the small kitchenette, and helped herself to one of the complementary snacks there. The room had a small refrigerator and stove, and Hermione was excited to make a proper meal again, as they had been going on so little for the past two months.

As she explored their lodging she admired the lovely, airy, atmosphere. There were two bedrooms and bathrooms, and small sitting area, with a television and some comfy looking couches, which was connected to the kitchen. After seeing that the boys were still asleep, and her reflection in the bathroom mirror, Hermione decided she was in desperate need of a shower.

After showering Hermione decided to heal the cuts and scrapes she had missed previously, mostly because they were stinging from the soap, and she regretted not doing it before she showered. Once she had finished she did not want to run away from her reflection (as she had earlier that day).

She entered the bedroom only to find it was deserted, and when she heard raised voices she hurried to the source of the sound with her wand at the ready. And saw Harry bursting out of his room in the exact same pose. They made their way to the kitchen where Ron and Draco were fighting over the last of the snacks. Hermione lowered her wand in disbelief and huffed, "Really, over food," before stalking back to her room.

"We have more important things to deal with than food," Harry bellowed. Hermione smirked as she grabbed her purse from her room, and entered the kitchen again, where the Draco and Ron had reluctantly agreed to share whatever it was they were fighting over.

"I'm going to get some food from the store in the main building, when I come back I want to take a look at that Horcrux," Hermione said simply and left without another word.

She walked to the small store confidently, but still clutching her wand in her pocket as the sun set lower still. She still had her hair colour disguised, and without the collection of cuts and obscene amounts of dirt on her body, she looked quite normal. Her hair was curling naturally hiding the sizeable bump that still throbbed on her head, apart from that and a few bruises Hermione was okay. But that did not stop her from picking up Advil and other medical supplies while she was at the store, in addition to muffins, eggs, milk, bread, and prepackaged lunch meat.

When she returned the boys were all waiting for her silently in the sitting room, with the small golden cup on the coffee table before them. She left the groceries on the counter in the kitchen before joining them.

"So destroy the Horcrux first, food later then?" Ron joked. Hermione laughed and Harry smiled weakly. He then pulled out the small phial of Phoenix Tears. Already, the cup began to tremble on the table. Ron reached out holding it in place, and Harry uncorked the bottle with his wand, and as he approached it the cup shook violently in Ron's grasp.

All of a sudden it began projecting images in the air, each one of murder and destruction. As the scenes flashed before their eyes Hermione felt the pain and suffering that each victim felt, somewhere in the back of her brain she registered that like the diary the cup held a selection of Voldemort's memories. Harry stopped dead, the open phial trembling in his hands as countless victims fell, and then, at long last, the ones he was waiting for.

Hermione watched in horror as James urged his wife to run with Harry, and as Voldemort killed them, but the memories did not stop there. The flashes continued and Hermione saw pure hatred and determination in Harry's eyes as he poured the tears into the cup. The cup made a shrieking noise, much like those of Voldemort's victims, and the clear tears within it seemed to come to a full boil. Then suddenly it stopped. The cup remained still, and the Phoenix tears were tainted with a black substance. The sound of the familiar phoenix song echoed throughout the kitchen, wordlessly mourning the losses caused by Voldemort, and the hope from defeating another Horcrux.

Hermione cleaned the cup magically, leaving the cup empty and shining innocently on the table. A long and awkward silence loomed over them, none of them daring to look at Harry. After what seemed like forever, he got up from his chair, scraping it back roughly against the hard wood flooring. Hermione flinched at the sounds, but said nothing as he left the room, and Hermione heard the door slam behind him as he exited the building.

That night was quiet. After Harry left Ron shut himself in their room, where he fell asleep, Draco was now enraptured by the television, and Hermione was sitting in a very uncomfortable position in the entry hall, keeping herself awake while waiting for Harry.

It was past eleven o'clock, and Hermione was exhausted again, which was ridiculous as she had only been awake for a few hours, but Harry had still not returned. She began to fret, wondering where he had gone, and if she should have gone after him to begin with. She heard the door from the rooms open and Draco came out, just as she let out a particularly loud and ungraceful yawn. She covered her mouth hastily, and tried to conceal it at a cough, but he was not fooled.

"Go to sleep, I'll wait up for Potter," he said. Hermione was ready to protest, but her exhaustion, and the genuine way he offered stopped her. So she dragged herself to her feet and kissed him goodnight gratefully, he seemed startled by the action. He held her a moment longer, before letting her go to sleep, and taking up her previous spot on the floor.

Draco sat there for almost an hour, and was nodding off by the time Harry returned shortly after midnight. Harry almost cursed him.

"You nearly gave me a heart attack Malfoy," Harry panted, holding a hand to his pounding heart. Draco rubbed his eyes sleepily.

"Sorry," he muttered, stifling a yawn. Harry watched him, and awkward thought crossed his mind.

"Were you waiting up for me?"

"Well, yeah," Draco said, shifting his gaze to the window, "Hermione was exhausted, so I took over."

"Hermione?" Harry commented on the use of her first name. Draco scoffed.

"I thought you were smarter than Weasley," Draco replied, and Harry smiled sheepishly.

"Well, as her friend, I have to warn you," Harry began seriously, "If you hurt her, I will kill you." Draco did not smile, he knew better. "Also, if you two are serious about…each other then I also have to warn you that Ron is not going to take it well." Draco was about to comment on this, when Harry gasped clutching his scar. He closed his eyes, succumbing to the vision. It was the first in a long time, and somewhere in the back of his mind he found that strange.

He sat alone in a darkened room, it looked grand, with high ceilings and intricate moldings, but he paid no attention to that. Nagini slid off his shoulder and he stroked one long, pale finger along the snake as it slid to the floor. The snake hissed, and Harry made a sound echoing his impatience. A single ray of light streaked across the floor and a single shadow crossed the room.

"Have you found him?" The high cruel voice said, slicing through the silence, angry and anticipatory. Bellatrix lowered herself, kissing he hem of his robes, and making no effort to remove herself from his being. "Rise," he hissed, and Bellatrix withdrew herself immediately.

She said nothing, but he already knew the answer to his question. Concealed rage bubbled within him, and he fingered his wand pointing it directly at the chandelier in front of the door. It fell to the floor with a resounding crash, crystal pieces shattering across the floor. Bellatrix flinched not drawing her eyes away from her beloved master. With a sweep of his wand the heap of crystal flew into a pile of other wrecked treasures from Malfoy Manor.

"How is it that three members of your family have managed to escape our ranks and not be found?" He rose to his feet as he said this towering above Bellatrix who looked at him pleadingly. "Yet here you remain in my closest confidence. It makes me wonder where your loyalties lie."

"My Lord," Bellatrix gasped, throwing herself back to his feet, "I am still loyal, your most faithful servant. Please do not punish me for my family's actions. In fact they are not my family." Her voice rose now, desperation and anger apparent in her eyes.

"My Dark King," Bellatrix cried, "They are no family of mine! Narcissa and Lucius are cowards, and Draco is a foolish little boy. I understand your plans better than anyone, my lord, I alone know that nothing and no one can stand in the way." He raised a hand, and she fell silent immediately, her chest heaving.

"You have proved your loyalty to me many times Bellatrix, so I will not hold you responsible for their actions. But once they are found, they will receive the ultimate punishment. Lord Voldemort does not accept betrayal." Bellatrix nodded silently accepting her family's fate and grateful for forgiveness.

"We must find Draco," Voldemort said quietly, more to himself than to Bella. That particular betrayal was the worst, and he raged that this teenage boy managed to escape him twice.

"Draco, My Lord?" Bellatrix whispered.

"Before he was brought back here, he was in the company of Harry Potter," Voldemort confided, "I forgave him the first time with the condition that he go back to Potter as a spy, he agreed, but disappeared after that, and I have not heard from him since." Bellatrix's eyes widened.

"No," she gasped, "Draco…no…he would never. That moronic imbecile!"

"Double the reward for finding him," He snapped, rising now. "I. Want. Him. Dead."

The room swam in Harry's vision. He was sweating, and his fists were clenched. Draco watched him apprehensively, and the words 'I want him dead' echoed in his head. For a moment he almost drew his wand, but he forced himself to remember who he was. He was Harry. Not Voldemort. And Malfoy…he had abandoned Voldemort to help him.

"He asked you to spy on us?" Harry asked incredulously, and Draco's eyes widened in shock.

"How did you know that?" Harry stuttered before deciding it was safe to tell Draco and explaining his connection with Voldemort, only leaving out that he became Voldemort in these visions.

"What did you see this time?" Draco asked a moment later, somewhat hesitantly.

"You-Know-Who was speaking to Bellatrix," Harry began slowly, "About you and your parents' disappearances. He wants you all dead, but you especially, for betraying him." Harry waited for Draco to comment on this, but he did not, so Harry pressed on. "So you're not spying on us?"

"No!" Draco exclaimed angrily. "You still don't believe it after your little vision?"

"I believe you," said Harry quietly, once again thinking of the night Dumbledore died, and how Draco had lowered his wand, "But I wanted to make sure. You never told us what happened when you were captured; all we knew was that you were tortured. Now we know why you weren't killed." Draco snorted, but once again chose not to comment.

"Why are you helping us?" Harry asked finally voicing what was truly on his mind. Draco looked up surprised, and took a moment before answering.

"Well at first it was to escape," Draco said at last, "Then I realized how stupid it all was. It doesn't matter how pure your blood is if you decide to taint it by following a psycho who wants to kill half the world." Harry laughed at this, even though their situation was far from funny. But Harry had his answer, and he now knew that Draco could be trusted. However, convincing Ron of this would be more difficult.

Harry got up, leaving Draco sitting on the floor deep in thought. Harry knew there still was much Draco was not saying. But he also knew that the Slytherin had his pride, and would not admit the weight of the regret he felt. Harry paused at the door and said quietly, "Hermione's done a number on you hasn't she?" Draco looked up startled, but Harry just smiled and shook his head, leaving the blonde boy sitting there at a loss for words.

* * *

**Happy Thansgiving...(for those celebrating - I know its later in the U.S. though).  
Thanks for reading. I hope you enjoyed that chapter.**

**Next Chapter: Godric's Hollow**


	21. Godric's Hollow

**A/N: I have this horrible habit of saying I am going to update this story after my exams...and then updating it before so I can get a break from studying. Anyway wish me luck on my exam this weekend!**

******Thanks for the reviews: xoRetributionox, and MarissaRosee**

**Disclaimer: All I own is my collection of chocolate frog cards...ok I only have 2.**

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Chapter 21 – Godic's Hollow

Hermione was in a state of constant bewilderment. She was not sure what happened, but something incredible must have occurred for Harry to be getting along so well with Draco. Well, getting along might not be the best term, but Harry's entire outlook towards him had changed. Draco however was disgruntled by his change of attitude and had returned to his previous condition of spending as much time alone as possible.

"No!" Hermione repeated angrily.

"So you don't trust me?" Draco replied equally angry.

"You know that is not true," Hermione replied.

"Then why am I confined to this damned hotel room like a child, when you let Potter and Weasley come and go as they please. Hermione opened her mouth, but Harry, uncharacteristically, intervened and sided with Draco!

"Really Hermione," Harry reasoned with her, "I don't think there is any harm in letting him get some fresh air. It is awfully stuffy in this room, especially after we've been cooped up in here for three days."

"HARRY!" Hermione screeched at him. Draco smirked at Hermione, before sending an awkward glare at Harry and sauntering out the door. Hermione shot Harry a much more intimidating look before slamming her bedroom door in his face. Harry, however, remained where he stood looking slightly bewildered. Hermione had not spoken to either of them for the rest of the day, and locked Draco out of their room that night, forcing him to sleep on the couch.

The next day Hermione decided that it was time to leave the hotel and go back to camping. The boys would have protested, but she was in a foul mood, and neither Harry nor Ron had enough Gryffindor courage to approach her. It took almost the entire day to repack their belongings, and Hermione's mood did not improve throughout the day. She stormed around the rooms, picking up their things and throwing them hastily into trunks, muttering to herself all the while.

Finally at sunset, they were ready to check out and depart; once again, Hermione apparated the entire group to their destination. It took them less than five minutes to set up the tent and put up the protective enchantments, and as soon as they were done, Hermione huffed into the tent and settled herself in bed with a large book. Harry and Ron followed her, and silently began a game of chess. Draco was watching them unenthusiastically, and Hermione glared at them every time one of their players was attacked noisily by an opponent.

After about an hour of this, Draco got up and left the tent saying, "I'll take the first watch." Hermione shot her angriest glare yet, and he replied tartly, "It's a tent not a library, or am I forbidden to speak now too?" He stormed out of the tent, and Hermione (who, for once, could not come up with a clever remark) snapped her book shut and went to sleep. Unsurprisingly Hermione was first to awake the next morning and found Draco dozing at the tent's entrance.

"Did you guard the tent the entire night?" She exclaimed, her anger cooling slightly.

"Mmmh, yeah," Draco replied yawning, and resting his head on the side of her leg. Hermione made a tsking noise.

"Go get some sleep," she muttered softly, moving to go back inside.

"Hermione," Draco called sleepily, getting up from the ground. She turned back to him, but he was already up. He wrapped one arm around her waist, and planted a soft kiss on her cheek before climbing into bed. She smiled slightly, it wasn't an apology, but it was better than she expected.

Harry woke a little while later, and once he noticed the dramatic improvement in Hermione's mood, he approached her with a determined look on his face. Hermione braced herself immediately.

"I want to go to Godric's Hollow today," Harry stated simply. Hermione opened her mouth almost instantly to protest. "No, Hermione listen," Harry went on impatiently, "You-Know-Who doesn't know we are looking for Horcruxes, so why would he think I would find one if I decided to visit there? And even you admitted we'd have to go there eventually. I just have a really good feeling about going this morning."

Hermione hemmed and hawed for a long while, earning very impatient and anxious looks from Harry. But she knew he was only humouring her, he was planning to go with or without her permission, but she still appreciated that he bothered to ask. Desperately she made one attempt, "Maybe we should wait until tomorrow, Draco was up all night, and we need everyone to be alert when we go." Harry looked doubtful for a fraction of a second.

"How about Ron and I go today," Hermione began to interrupt, but Harry spoke over her, "and we will scout out the area, we won't do any serious stuff until tomorrow, and you and Draco can come with us." After a few moments of hesitation (and a lecture on being careful and not doing anything rash) Hermione agreed. Harry woke Ron enthusiastically, and within a quarter of an hour they were on their way, leaving Hermione, basically alone, and worrying.

Harry and Ron set off through the forest and once they reached the boundary of protection the pulled on the invisibility cloak and apparated. They appeared on the edge of a quaint little village. It was deserted, so Harry and Ron walked easily down the street, without too much worry of showing their feet. Harry's breath was choppy with anticipation and anxiety. He was not sure how he would feel seeing his parent's house again, or what was even left of their house.

He walked by each house taking little interest in them or their surroundings, knowing that he would recognize his old house the moment he saw it. At the end of the row of houses, sat one house on the very end, looking similar to the others, yet something was different. "This is it," Harry murmured under his breath. Ron looked at him quizzically.

"Are you sure?" He asked, "It looks like all the others." But Harry merely nodded, and began to make his way to the front door. Ron, being the understanding friend that he was, did not ask any more questions. When they reached the front door, they checked their surroundings, and once they were sure no one was around, they opened it stealthily and slipped inside.

The moment Harry entered he was sure there was no Horcrux there. He could feel magic in the air as he pulled off the cloak and walked throughout the house. But it was not the same feeling as when he saw the graveyard. It was the opposite of dark magic, Harry felt warm and whole inside. Even as he indulged in this feeling, he did not lose his good sense.

"Let's look upstairs," he said quietly, leading Ron to the upper floor. He was sure there was no Horcrux, but he did not want to get too cocky, so it would be safest just to check. Harry had entered one of the rooms and stopped dead immediately. It was a nursery, his nursery. He lowered his wand and rubbed hastily at his eyes which were stinging and watery (from the dust he convinced himself). Ron came in after him, and patted him on the back supportively. But the moment was ruined when they heard the front door creak open.

They froze for a moment, like deer in a car's headlights, before Harry silently threw the cloak over them both, concealing them. Below them they heard a rough voice call out.

"He's here."

* * *

Hermione had taken to pacing back and forth across the tent nervously. She was holding the large book she had been reading, and was hugging it to her chest as if it could help ease her nerves. When Draco woke up she almost screamed, and he laughed at her stance. But he stopped instantly when he noticed the absence of Ron and Harry.

"Where are they?" He asked immediately sensing that something was wrong.

"I should have never let them go…Godric's Hollow…what was I thinking?" She burst out frantically. It took Draco about a second to catch up, and he jumped from the top of his bunk pulling on jeans, a shirt, and jacket, before Hermione could gather her thoughts.

"It's a trap!" Draco groaned, and he pulled on his shoes, and grabbed his wand, dragging a frazzled Hermione out of the tent. She gasped, drawing her wand and summoning the tent into her handbag. They apparated to Godric's Hollow, not bothering to disguise themselves, as they ran past a row of houses.

They saw red sparks shooting out of the last house, as six Death Eaters hurtled out the front door. Time seemed to stop for a moment as two of the Death Eaters shot spells directly where Harry and Ron stood invisible. It was complete chance that they both were hit, but as the force of the spell hit them the toppled over revealing their positions.

"Crucio," two of the Death Eaters hollered, and Hermione cringed as the curse hit them, and they squirmed in agony. Hermione ran faster, her legs burning from the effort, but the Death Eaters did not seem to see them approaching, they had eyes only for Harry.

"We've got you now Potter!" One of them was yelling gleefully as he pulled up the left sleeve of his robe.

"No," Draco yelled, he slashed his wand threw the air, and the Death Eater was slammed backwards into the house behind him. There was a sickening crunch as his skull crushed against the brick wall. All was silent for a moment, and then a battle broke out. Harry and Ron managed to jump to their feet during that moment of shock, and all of a sudden spells were flying everywhere.

The large blond Death Eater that Hermione remembered from the previous year was looming in front of her, and shooting off every type of spell imaginable. Hermione's shield charm was second nature, and she began to strike back. She saw Harry and Ron each fighting another Death Eater, and worried for a moment that one might have escape and managed to summon Voldemort. But her fears were stilled as she passed Draco who was skillfully dueling both the remaining Death Eaters.

"Traitor," one of them shouted petulantly, and a green spell flew past Hermione missing Draco by miles. Hermione was enraged by this and shot a body binding curse at the man who froze and fell face first, blood spattering from his nose. In the meantime her Death Eater managed to knock down a tree behind her. Hermione dodged him, and they switched sides as he yelled, "Reducto!" The spell missed Hermione, but she chanced a glance behind her shoulder and gasped as it hit a large water dam further down the lane. There was a deafening crash, and water burst into the street. Hermione knew what was coming next.

"Run," she yelled, and she tried to run slipping and sliding on the already damp street. Her Death Eater loomed in front of her again, but she stunned him without a second thought. She saw red hair streak by her with a Death Eater hot on its tail, and before she could stun him too, someone else had done it for her.

Harry was running in front of her her, but the dam seemed to have reached its climax, for at that moment it exploded. Not even three seconds had passed when Hermione felt a wave of water hit her, and the current carried her up the street. She saw the last two Death Eaters struggling along in the water, and Harry, Ron and Draco were swept way ahead of her.

She began to swim; the water was freezing and her clothes weighed her down. She felt the water becoming shallower and she struggled to run through it as curses sailed past her head. But she made it to the top of the street, where Ron lunged and pulled her into an alley where they disapparated. She heard the roars of wind, water, and two anguished Death Eaters as they moved through space; until suddenly it all stopped.

The smell of pine enticed Hermione's senses and she inhaled deeply, before gagging and spitting up water. She coughed and spluttered, leaning over in a nearby bush. She felt a reassuring hand on her back, and was slightly disappointed to see that it was Ron, not Draco who was comforting her. But she smiled at him anyway.

"Thanks," she panted, still short of breath. She straightened up, and saw that all the boys were soaked too, and that they had already managed to set up the tent. Harry was just finishing the protection spells on the area, and when he was done they entered the tent together. They changed into dry clothes, and Hermione conjured some blue flames in an open pot, which they all sat around silently.

"You were right Hermione," Harry said finally. He felt the need to voice this out loud.

"I didn't want to be," Hermione replied sadly, watching the flames. She felt Draco take her hand beneath the blankets, but she didn't look at him.

"I'm guessing there wasn't a Horcrux there," Draco commented a little while later. Harry just shook his head solemnly, and sighed placing his head in his hands. After a long time Ron voiced the thought they were all thinking.

"What do we do now?"

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**I don't really have a good preview for next chapter, but our favourite headmaster will make an appearance.**


	22. A Meeting with the Headmaster

**A/N: Here is chapter 21. I can't believe how long I've been working on this fanfiction! I've been posting it online since Nov. 23, 2010, so just over a year ago. According to the file on my computer I started working on it as of Nov. 30, 2008 - 3 years ago! Anyway, enjoy the next chapter.**

**Thanks to MB and xoRetributionox for their kind reviews :)**

**Disclaimer: I wanna Harry Potter for Christmas. I don't think Santa Clause will mind, do you? He won't have to use a dirty chimney floo (though wizards do), just bring him on his firebolt that's the easy thing to do! (to the tune of "I want a Hippopotamus for Christmas") - clearly I own nothing if I had the time and effort to put into that song ;)**

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Chapter 22 – A Meeting with the Headmaster

Almost a week had passed since they fled Godric's Hollow, but their moods were still grim.

"There has to be somewhere else we can look," Ron said, as the topic was brought up for what seemed like the billionth time. Draco looked down from his bunk, and Hermione up from her book, but Harry remained still, staring at the shattered piece of mirror Sirius had given him years before.

"I know," Hermione sighed, putting down her book, "We've got one more to go before we can tackle him…and the snake."

"What other places were significant to him? Where did he succeed?" Malfoy mused aloud.

"I feel like we are missing something really obvious!" Hermione snapped. Harry snorted at her, and she glared at him. "Do you have any ideas Harry?" Harry looked up at her, at last, and put the mirror down.

"I've told you from the start that there is one at Hogwarts," Harry said slowly, "And I don't think we can put off going there any longer." Hermione pursed her lips, but could not deny that he was right. There was silence after that, Harry returned to his bunk, and Hermione stared blankly at her book.

"I just don't want it to be like Godric's Hollow again," she said quietly after several long minutes. All the boys looked at her then, Harry clearly feeling guilty.

"It won't be Hermione, I promise," said Harry, getting up from his bunk again to cross the tent and sit near Hermione. "We were reckless when we went to Godric's Hollow, and we all know it. You warned me that it could be a trap, and I still was not careful enough. But that won't happen at Hogwarts. We all know how dangerous it will be, and we will take all the precautions we possibly can." Hermione looked slightly reassured.

"Well then, I guess we are going back," Hermione replied. "While I appreciated your pep talk Harry, I knew this mission was going to be dangerous. I just have this feeling that since it all started at Hogwarts it is all going to end there." Harry looked startled by this, but Hermione kept talking, "Are you ready for that? Ready to face him?"

"Absolutely," Harry said seriously.

"He was born ready," Malfoy retorted sarcastically from the top bunk. Hermione stifled a laugh as Harry glared at him for ruining the moment.

"Ferret-face."

"Pothead."

"Well, I'm glad you two have matured," Hermione laughed. The boys looked sheepish, but all joking was quickly put aside as they joined Ron at the table to start planning.

* * *

That night as Hermione was keeping watch, the night was was disturbed when a silvery orb appeared at the tent. She scrambled inside after it, as the patronus began to take the shape of a doe.

"Boys wake up!" She shouted, grabbing a pillow a whacking them each with it. Ron muttered something incomprehensible. Harry sat up banging his head into the top of the bunk. Draco rolled off his bunk and landed on the floor with a thud.

"Look," Hermione said pointing at the patronus. The doe opened its mouth and the quiet, cool voice of Severus Snape spoke.

"Draco, I hope all is well wherever you are. I am just checking in. The prize for your capture has been increased. Message me back tomorrow night after sundown to confirm your and Ms. Granger's safety."

The doe dissolved into thin air. Draco stood up, dusting himself off. "Is that all?" Ron yawned, "Just Snape. I'm going back to sleep." Ron rolled over and was snoring almost instantly. Harry did the same.

"I can take the watch now," Draco offered, moving towards the tent's entrance

"Are you sure? We're not supposed to switch for another hour."

"It's fine, I'm not going to be able to sleep now anyway," He looked grim, and Hermione remembered Snape's last patronus, when he told them that Draco's parents were gone. Hermione tried to smile at him, and wrapped her arms his neck, pulling him close.

"Everything's going to be all right," she murmured into his neck. He returned the hug for a second, before pulling away abruptly.

"Night," Draco muttered before crouching down in front of the tent.

"Good night," Hermione whispered softly.

* * *

The next afternoon they were all settled at the table; studying the Marauders' Map pretentiously.

"So that's how you got into Hogsmeade in third year!" Malfoy exclaimed, as they pointed out the passage to him.

"That was hilarious!" Ron laughed recalling the event, and Mafloy getting covered in mud, "I can't believe I almost forgot about it."

"That was not funny," Malfoy replied, not seeing how it was funny at all. "Snape gave me hell after that!"

"That's it!" Ron exclaimed, "We can use the passage to get in. Last I checked it still was open. We can apparate into Hogsmeade and use the passage to get in."

"No, Hogsmeade is being guarded by Death Eaters," Draco interrupted.

"What about Snape? Do you think he could help us?" Hermione asked, looking at Draco.

"Possibly," Draco said slowly, "The Death Eaters still think he's one of them, so he can get by without suspicion, but how are we going to get through. They are going to be searching for you especially Potter."

"We can use the cloak," Harry suggested, "But it can't cover all four of us, and we all have to go this time. We can't risk separating."

"What about Polyjuice potion?" Ron suggested.

"None left," Hermione replied, "We used the last of it months ago at the hotel."

"Snape's the Potions Master," Harry said, "He should be able to get us some."

"I think we should meet with him," said Draco, "This is going to take some planning, and if we rush into it we're going to get caught."

"Okay Draco, send him a patronus back tonight asking him to meet us tomorrow. We can tell him the plan then," Hermione decided. The boys agreed, and they waited impatiently till nightfall writing and rewriting their message in order to get Snape's help without raising suspicion. It seemed like days before the sun finally set and Draco was ready to send his patronus.

_Severus, we are safe, but we need to talk. Meet me tomorrow at the Leaky Cauldron. Prince_

Minutes after Draco had sent it Hermione snapped, "are you sure going to the Leaky Cauldron is a good idea?" Draco let out an aggravated sigh. Harry sniggered.

"Well I've sent it now, and we've been through this so many times," Draco retorted, "We need to go somewhere easy to access, with enough people that we don't draw any attention." Hermione pursed her lips and Harry watched amusedly, waiting for her to start again.

"But what if someone overhears us?"

"Then we can get a room and discuss it there. Or we can meet there have a drink, then leave and discuss it elsewhere."

"Draco we're not even using PolyJuice Potion. All we have is the disguise enchantments, and they may not fool the Death Eaters, especially if they have those sensory sticks."

"No one performs the disguise enchantments as well as you, and if it makes you feel better I'll go…alone," he offered.

"No way," Ron said, "We are not arranging some little Death Eater get together!" Hermione breathed in sharply through her nose, and Harry glanced nervously from Ron to Draco.

"Snape is helping us because of me, not because he owes you lot anything," Draco said, his voice was quiet and steady, but his hands were shaking in anger. Hermione wanted to intervene, but the look on Draco's face had her rooted to the spot. "I don't know what you expect me to do to prove that I want to help you especially when every time I offer you seen to have issues with my suggestions. Do you have any better ideas to get us into Hogwarts?" Ron spluttered angrily, scraping his chair back as he abruptly got to his feet.

"Just because Hermione believed you so easily doesn't mean Harry and I don't see right through you. Right Harry? Harry?"

"Ron calm down," Harry said, getting up and standing between them. "But I agree that you shouldn't go alone Ma-Draco. Maybe me or Hermione should go with you." Ron's face turned, if possible, even redder.

"Harry should go," He said stiffly.

"Excuse me," Hermione's voice was an icy whisper. "Do you think I am not capable of going?" Harry and Draco simultaneously took a step away from the two.

"No I don't. Maybe if you spent less time cozying up with Malfoy, you would have been able to find a way into Hogwarts without their help."

"Me? Why do I have to do all the work? Why can't you look something up for once? And you know we can't get into Hogwarts without them!"

"We could have done it before! We've always done stuff just the three of us, and it has always worked fine. So Malfoy just strolls in and all of that changes?"

"Nothing has changed. You are still completely obtuse and don't think about anyone else but yourself!"

"Oh yeah, because you were thinking about me and Harry when you and Malfoy were off together for all those months doing God knows what. It's just like you, first Krum, then McLaggen, I can't say I'm surprised that you go for him next. Your standards couldn't get much lower could they?"

"Oh please! I'm sure you and Lavender would have lived happily ever after if-"

"If you hadn't ruined it!"

"Okkkayy, I'm going to take the first watch," Draco said easing his way out of the tent.

"Yeah, that's what every girl wants. A guy who runs away from a fight. Mind you, you're a pro at that, aren't you Malfoy? Ron spat at him.

"Excuse me," Malfoy said, his face livid once more. He approached Ron slowly, "What are you implying Weasley?"

"I am not implying anything. I am calling you a coward." Harry stood back up quickly and standing between them again. Draco looked like he wanted to punch Ron. But within a few seconds, a cool and composed mask came over his face.

"I'm not a coward, and if you had any brain power you would realize that," Malfoy said, his voice barely masking his anger, "You're just jealous because you've had years to make a move and you still managed to screw it up." Draco left after that. He stalked to the edge of the tent without a word, but he sent an apologetic glance in Hermione's direction as he was leaving.

"He's just using you Hermione," Ron hissed at her, "I'm only saying this because I care about you," he crossed the tent and took her hands in his. "He's not right for you, just give me a chance Hermione." Hermione's eyes widened, and she looked to Harry for support, but he had hidden behind the Marauder's Map, and Hermione could see his ears turning red.

"Ron, it's not like that between us and you know it," Hermione said pulling her hands away, "You can't expect me to just…leap into your arms after all those terrible things you just said. And I don't think you'd really want me to anyway." Hermione moved away from him, and headed towards the entrance.

"Hermione," Ron stuttered, "You can't really choose him over…"

"Ron! Is this just a competition to you?" Hermione asked turning around sharply. "Is that all I am? Just a way for you to beat Draco?"

"No! Hermione that's not what-"

"Just leave me and my relationships alone."

"So now you're in a relationship with him?" Hermione ignored him, and stormed out of the tent.

* * *

"Stop fidgeting," Draco hissed as he pulled Hermione off the crowded sidewalk and into the Leaky Cauldron. The once pleasant bar had a disheveled look about it; there were only two occupants apart from Tom the barkeeper. Snape was nowhere to be seen. The door slammed shut behind them, silencing the hustle and bustle of the muggle streets behind them. Tom looked up suddenly, and eyed them for a moment before approaching them. Hermione braced herself mentally as he drew nearer, and she saw Draco's mask fall firmly into place.

"Mr. and Mrs. Hallows?" He asked. Draco's eyebrows rose ever so slightly, but he was quick on his feet.

"What's it to you?" He asked casually as if the situation was not the least bit strange.

"Professor Snape is waiting for you in room six," he said slowly, "to discuss your child's enrollment to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry." Tom was eyeing them closely as he said this, and Hermione wished Snape would have foretold them of this detail. Even with their disguises, Draco and Hermione looked too young to have a child at all, let alone one that was at least eleven years of age.

"Thank you for informing us," Draco responded formally, and shoved several gold coins into his hand as a tip. Hermione followed Draco up the stairs stumbling over her robes in her haste, she could feel Tom's eyes burning a hole in her back. Draco knocked lightly on the door, and they could hear rustling as Snape quickly unlocked the door.

"You came undetected?" Snape asked as he bolted the door behind them. Draco nodded. "Then we shall proceed to plan what has never been done successfully before. Breaking in to Hogwarts."

* * *

**Preview (I think it's a good one):**

"Just wait and see, once He sees what Severus is doing, I'll be rewarded more than any of his followers," Amycus smiled at the thought, before pressing his finger to his left forearm.


	23. Breaking and Entering

**A/N:** **Annnnnnd here's Chapter 23 Breaking and Entering...which involves both breaking and entering ;)**

**Thanks for the reviews: katarinaniamionearnshaw, Holly, Alenerien, and Lesohul !**

**Disclaimer: All rights go to their respective owners.**

Chapter 23 – Breaking and Entering

Hermione pulled down the hem of her skirt anxiously as they scurried down the mountainous trail leading into Hogsmeade. It had been almost a year since she last wore her Hogwarts uniform, and it was smaller than she remembered. She heard Ron curse behind her, and whipped her head around to see nothing, he was still safely concealed beneath the invisibility cloak.

"What happened?" she whispered.

"Hit my foot on a bloody boulder," he grunted in response.

"Will you both shut up," Draco hissed through the corner of his mouth, "We aren't even going to make it to the front gates without you waking the entire castle." Hermione pursed her lips, and she could hear Ron muttering angrily to Harry. Moments later they had reached the village. Like everything else, it was different than Hermione remembered. It did not bear the signs showing escaped Death Eaters, as it had last time Hermione had been there. Now several more shops had been boarded up, and many of the residences appeared vacant.

As they crossed the boundary marking the entrance to the village Hermione felt the warm summer air compress around her, pressure built and her ears popped. A second later it was over, and the warm pressure was replaced with a deep, bone-chilling cold. "Dementors," Harry breathed softly behind them. They kept walking until they were in sight of The Three Broomsticks and without a moment's notice the door to Honeydukes swung open. They all raised their wands automatically, and lowered them hesitantly as Snape came out holding a slab of dark chocolate.

"Go quickly Potter," he hissed as he fiddled with the door, giving them just enough time to slip in before letting it swing shut behind them. With the slam of the door came two hooded and masked Death Eaters, already shooting curses.

"A little jumpy aren't we?" Severus asked somewhat mockingly, blocking their spells with a delicate wave of his wand.

"Did these miscreants break into the shop?" The shorter of the two asked, a cruel smile appearing on his face as he raised his wand again.

"No, no, that was me, Rookwood" Severus said mildly and held out the chocolate in his hand,

"You broke into Honeydukes?"

"I had a sudden craving, and one of the benefits of being a Death Eater is that I can break the law on a mere whim," Snape raised one eyebrow, silently challenging them to question him. They remained silent, as he knew they would. Hermione spend the entire time fidgeting with the hem of her skirt, or adjusting her tie, which she had transfigured into that of a Hufflepuff. Draco was stoic next to her, not giving away any emotion whatsoever.

"These two were up by the Shrieking Shack, broke a window too," Severus continued.

"Ahhh I see," Rookwood said, "Let's see, you were out after curfew, out of bounds, and you broke a window too. I think three nights hanging by your wrists in the dungeon should do the trick. I'll be happy to escort them to the castle."

"Unnecessary, I will take them. I want to deal with them personally."

"But Severus-"

"I said I was dealing with them," Severus said fiercely. "Now if I were in your position Rookwook, I would return to my post."

"Yes…Sir." They returned sullenly, with many looks over their shoulders and some angry muttering.

"Let's go, before they get suspicious," Snape said.

"Yeah, because you were so subtle," Draco remarked sarcastically.

* * *

"That was interesting," Rookwood murmured.

"I always thought he was untrustworthy," Amycus responded, "No one really does know why the Dark Lord took him back, and I dare not say he was mistaken, but I will say that something is going on, and the Dark Lord must be contacted at once."

"Do you have a death wish?" Rookwood responded coolly, "The Dark Lord is only to be called if we have Potter or Malfoy's boy."

"You are so naïve Rookwood," Amycus said almost gleefully, "Potter has that damned cloak, which leaves the Mudblood and the Blood Traitor, and isn't it convenient that Severus happened to be on guard duty tonight?"

"If you're wrong, your head is on the line, I want no part of this."

"Just wait and see, once He sees what Severus is doing, I'll be rewarded more than any of his followers," Amycus smiled at the thought, before pressing his finger to his left forearm.

* * *

"Harry! What is it?" Ron asked worriedly.

"My scar," Harry gasped, clutching his forehead, "They've called him." Harry was pulling out the Marauder's Map as they spoke to check that they coast was clear in the corridor where the passageway ended.

"All's clear, let's go," Harry pushed open the entrance on the hump-backed witch and climbed out.

"We need help. If he is coming here, he will tear the place down," Ron said grabbing the map.

"No he won't tear it down, Hogwart's was his home, but that will not stop him from killing everyone inside it," Harry responded.

"Look, McGonogall's out of bed! She is heading towards the dungeons." They sprinted down the corridor, and managed to intercept her."

"Potter! Weasley! What is going on?" She looked more stressed than ever, and though she didn't look pleased to see them, she did not look angry either. For a second, it was as if they were back at school, and talking in classs.

"He's coming. Voldemort is coming!"

* * *

Hermione choked on her breath and stumbled over her feet as they approached the castle. Hermione could feel the growing presence of the Dementors, and it was even worse than third year, signifying the vast changes at Hogwarts. Snape conjured a patronus, but it was not strong enough to make much of a difference.

The gates creaked shut behind them, and they had barely took three steps before they heard a sizzling noise behind them. Hermione whipped her head around. The gates melded together before her eyes forming a sheet of thick metal where the gates were supposed to open, and a net of woven spells was forming across the remaining bars and open area surrounding the castle.

"What's going on?"

"The Dark Lord is coming," Snape said abruptly, both he and Draco were rubbing their left arms subconsciously, "We must have made them more suspicious than we thought, Minerva has begun to put protection up around the castle."

"How did she know already?" Draco asked.

"Harry must have found her," Hermione replied, while struggling to keep up with their rapidly increasing pace. They were at the doors of the castle.

"Go find Potter, we will not be able to hold them off for very long," Snape said. He was waving his wand in a very complicated motion over the doors and walls. They had become invisible, but Hermione recognized the incantation and new that though they could see outside the Death Eaters would not be able to see in.

Hermione and Draco sprinted up the stairs, "How are we supposed to find them?" Hermione groaned. They made it to the fourth floor before they ran into Harry and Ron, by this point all the teachers were out of bed and scurrying around the castle.

"Hermione!"

"There you are Harry."

"Harry?"

"Ginny?" Harry and Ron said in unison as Ginny and Luna approached them from around the corner, along with a small first year girl.

"What are you doing out of bed? The castle is going to be attacked," Ron said angrily, "Go back to the common room now." Ginny rolled her eyes and ignored him completely, turning to Harry.

"What are you doing here?

"Uh…I, we need something from the castle," Harry hesitated.

"Then we can help you find it."

"No way Ginny," Ron intervened.

"Don't be a twit Ron," she snapped backed, "You can't search the entire castle by yourself. And you should go back to the common room," she said kindly to the first year, who had been staring at Harry with obvious admiration. The girl took off upstairs and disappeared around a corner.

"Ok, Ok," Harry said, pausing only to think of how to phrase what he needed, "We are looking for something that may have belonged to Rowena Ravenclaw." Ron looked at him accusingly. "We already told Malfoy, and I trust them more. No offense Malfoy." Draco looked mockingly indignant at this, but they all ignored him.

"Why is Malfoy with you?" Ginny asked suddenly.

"Long story," Harry muttered, and then in a louder voice, "Can we get back to Ravenclaw's item please."

"There is her lost diadem," Luna said, dreamily as ever, "But it has been lost for centuries."

"So I guess that is out, if it has been lost for centuries," Hermione commented, "Is there anything else?"

"Hmmmm," Luna began humming tunelessly, before she stopped suddenly, "Daddy did an article in the Quibbler a few years ago about Rowena's lost passage of Wisdom."

"Why are all her things lost?" Ron asked disbelievingly.

"But we aren't looking for a passage," Harry added urgently, "we need an item."

"It is the passage that lead her to Hogwarts and the other founders, no one knows where the passage began, but it is supposed to end somewhere in Hogwarts, and that is where she stored her most prized possessions."

"Like that diadem!" Ron exclaimed.

"No, that's been lost for centuries," Luna said looking at Ron like he was the most peculiar creature, "Didn't I just say that? Her diadem was lost since before she came to Hogwarts."

"Still, there could be something useful there," Draco said thoughtfully.

"Well, where is it?" Ron said excitedly.

"It's lost," replied Luna.

"But I thought you said it ended in Hogwarts."

"Well, it does, but that doesn't mean people know where it is. Does anyone know the location of the Chamber of Secrets?"

Harry and Ron looked at each other excitedly, meanwhile Ginny looked away sadly. But

a bang interrupted them. They ran to the window and stuck their heads out to get a better view.

"Look there, in Hogsmeade," Ginny pointed. There was a huge, smoking crater in the middle of the village. Several of the roofs had caught fire and a sudden mass of black hooded figures were storming into the village from the same mountain route Hermione, Harry, Ron, and Draco had taken earlier that evening.

"We need to split up," Harry said, "Me, Ron, and Hermione will start looking for this secret passage, and Ginny, can you take Malfoy and Luna down to the Chamber of Secrets and bring up some basilisk fangs."

"Uh Potter, in case you forgot I wasn't the heir of Slytherin."

"Harry we can't get in without you, why don't you come with us, and Luna can go with Ron and Hermione since she knows the most about Ravenclaw?"

"Fine, let's go quickly then."

The team split up, and they began to search the castle for this passage. Luna could offer them no more information except that Rowena's raven symbol would probably be on the entrance. They searched everywhere, the Great Hall, the Entrance Hall, classrooms, the Ravenclaw common room, and they even tried the astronomy tower. The students had woken up due to all the noise the Death Eaters made as the progressed closer and closer to the gates. Many of the younger students looked terrified and were being led out of the castle through one of Filch's secret passages. Hermione peered outside as they ran, but there was no need, for at that moment the entire castle began to shake. Everyone stopped moving and tried to take cover as some of the smaller portraits fell from the walls, and several windows shattered, spraying the floor with spiky bits of glass.

"They must have gotten through the barriers," Ron said, kicking aside bits of glass as they hurried through the halls, while still trying to do a thorough search.

"There has to be more information about this passage somewhere," Hermione panted as they stopped in yet another classroom. Ron and Luna didn't even stop to look at her as they checked the walls and floors. Hermione joined them, standing on a desk in order to look at the ceiling more closely.

"How did I not think of it before?" Hermione exclaimed jumping down from the desk,

"the library!" Hermione was halfway up the corridor before they caught up with her.

"Hermione, wait up," Ron called, "Where are you going?"

'The library," she replied as she started to drag him in that direction, "I can't believe it took me so long to think of it. Ravenclaw was known for being wise, and knowledgeable, I bet the passage leads to the library."

* * *

"I hate being back down here," Ginny murmured, looking around apprehensively. They were just leaving the entrance chamber, and Harry had already opened the door leading into the chamber itself.

"Whoah, I'm all for Slytherin pride, but this is a bit much," Draco commented as they passed the countless snake statues. Ginny inhaled sharply and Draco turned around, coming face-to-face with the corpse of a very large, very toothy snake. The basilisk's tail and body was draped over the cliff-like ledge, and its head was left in the shallow pool of water at the feet of the statue of Salazaar Slytherin.

Ginny was standing off to the side staring intently at a large inky black stain on the ground. Harry had approached the basilisk first, and was attempting to pull one of its large fangs out of its even larger mouth. He gave a particularly hard pull, and the snake's entire body shifted. Just as Harry managed to pull the tooth out the tail of the snake started to slide down the wall in a heavy mass.

Draco's quidditch reflexes were never better than Harry's, but he somehow managed to push Ginny out of harm's way. She hit the ground hard, though not as hard as Draco who got whipped in the back by the end of the snake's tail. Ginny recovered first and pulled herself shakily to her feet with Harry's help.

"Malfoy, y-you saved my life," she breathed, "thank you." He nodded, and withdrew from her.

"Please tell me you got that fang Potter, because I will not be doing that again." Harry just grinned and clapped Draco on the back. After all there are some things you can't share without end up liking each other, and facing the falling corpse of a basilisk is one of them.

* * *

**The Next Chapter is called (drum roll please): Only One More**

**hmmmm one more what? (I'm guessing it's one more nose job for Voldemort, but that's just me)**


	24. Only One More

**A/N: Here is the next chapter. For anyone who is interested J.K. Rowling has just announced that she is writing another book to come out later this year. **

**Thanks for the reviews! pinkcrazyness, Lesohul, and ememz. And to every one else for reading this story! :)**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing. **

Chapter 24 – Only One More

Hermione pulled another book from the shelf adding it to the stack on the table behind her, Ron meanwhile was tossing the books carelessly behind him. Suddenly the door to the library slammed shut; Hermione grabbed her wand, but it was Harry and Draco.

"We got it," Harry panted tossing the basilisk fang onto Hermione's pile of books.

"Where's Ginny?" Ron demanded.

"She stayed back to help the Order," Harry responded.

"That sounds like a good idea," Luna said, "I'll go too, maybe we can get you some more time." Luna wandered away pulling her wand out from behind her ear as she went.

"Have you found anything yet?" Harry asked looking at the piles of books surrounding them.

"Not yet, but we think the entrance is around here somewhere, because Rowena's initials are the call numbers on this section," Hermione panted as she heaved another book onto the table. "I found it!" She ran her finger along the faded engraving of a raven etched into the wood. Harry, Ron, and Draco crowded behind her to get a view of the small carving.

"This must open the passage, but how does it work?" Ron asked.

"It looks like there is an incantation on the bottom of the shelf," Harry pointed it out with his wand, "Chelitave invertum." The raven's beak opened and projected a bluish white beam of light along the shelf. "Follow the light," Harry yelled as the four chased the light around the corner and then disappeared into the other side of the shelf. "Move the books!" They reached for the shelf toppling books onto the floor. There was a glowing blue raven on this shelf too.

"What now?" Draco asked.

"Look there's another spell," Hermione said raising her wand, "Portas revealio." The raven's beak closed and the bookshelves sank into the ground leading to a hollow in the side of the remaining bookshelf.

"Let's go," Harry said. He slid into the opening walking sideways to fit in the small gap. Ron allowed Hermione to go in front of him, and Draco brought up the rear. The passage did not close behind them, which was somewhat reassuring, but it was pitch black, which was not reassuring at all. Hermione felt Harry's figure move away from her abruptly and there was the sound of clanging below her.

"Ow," Harry's voice echoed back up to Hermione, "There's a drop be careful. I'll try to catch you Hermione." Hermione hesitated a moment before jumping, she collided with something during her fall which she realized a moment later was Harry.

"I missed," Harry said, almost grinning, as Hermione rubbed her knee from the fall. They were in a circular room with torches of everlasting fire braced along the wall. Ron and Draco came next, but neither Harry nor Hermione made any attempts to catch them. Ron grabbed one of the torches off the wall and led them down the low stone corridor.

After walking for quite some time they came to a dead end. "The tunnel ends here," Ron called back to them.

"How can it?" Hermione asked, "It was the only way out of that circular room."

"Maybe there is another spell, like the one on the bookcase?" Harry suggested. They searched the walls until Hermione uncovered another small raven engraving, with a spell engraved slightly above it. Hermione said the incantation, and watched in amazement as the raven's wings began to move and it slowly rose to the centre of the wall in front of them.

They were even more amazed when the bird began to sing, "A boy has a peculiar quirk; he repeats everything he hears. However, when his father said dinner was at six, the boy said nothing. Why?"

"Could you repeat that?" Ron asked the bird uncertainly. The bird remained motionless.

While Hermione paced across the tunnel muttering to herself, "if he repeats everything he hears why would he not repeat that…it makes no sense…"

"That must be annoying, all he would do is repeat everything people say all the time," Harry commented dryly.

"Well, not everything," Hermione corrected naturally, "Only everything he _hears_." She paused for a moment, and then exclaimed, "that's it Harry! He couldn't have heard him if he did not repeat it!"

The raven nodded and replied, "You have permission to pass through this barrier." It then flew back to the side wall where it sunk into the stone. The wall in front of them did not move or appear to change, so Hermione took a tentative step and found that she could walk through the wall. It was a bizarre experience being surrounded by stone, but still able to walk, talk, and breathe. An experience that Hermione did not give much thought, for at that moment the castle began to shake and rocks began to crumble down from the ceiling, scraping their arms and faces.

They ran through the tunnel twisting and turning with it, not pausing for breath until the shaking stop.

"What was that?" Hermione gasped.

"I'm not sure I want to find out," Draco responded darkly, eyeing the ceiling nervously.

"Come on, we need to find the Horcr..ah," Harry clutched his scar, and leaned against a wall for support. After a moment the pained seemed to pass, and Harry composed himself.

"Well at least we know it is definitely here," he muttered as they continued into another circular room. Once again there were torches surrounding the room, but there were also a dozen doors. They each began trying doors, but to no avail as they were all locked.

"There is an inscription here," Draco called. He grabbed the nearest torch in order to read it better, and at that moment the door across the room swung open bringing with it the sounds of battle.

"It's Potter!" the exclamation came from the other side of door, from a masked man in hooded robes. But before he had the chance to raise his wand Draco returned the torch and the door closed again.

"That was the Trophy Room," Harry said. "That means each of these door transports you somewhere in the castle."

"But how do we know which one to take?" Hermione asked, as she examined the door for clues.

"That inscription I saw said something about a _Room of Honour_. I think it was a clue as to where it transports you." The passage Draco had read disappeared with the opening of the door, but a new one appeared next to the door that opened.

"This leads to the room where all is supplied," Hermione read aloud, "All you must do is ask to enter, use, or hide."

"Room of Requirement," Harry and Ron said in unison.

"But that's not what we're looking for, there must be some sort of chamber within Rowena's passage where she hid her most prized possessions," Harry added.

This time, rather than pulling out the torch Draco turned it sideways, and the riddle disappeared, another one appearing the next door over.

"This room is one that often goes unknown," Hermione read, "Its knowledge is vast, but the price is unknown."

"I think that's it," Ron said, "But what does it mean the price is unknown?"

"Knowledge always comes with a price," Hermione said quietly. Draco pulled out the torch and they heard the door unlock, but it did not readily swing open as its predecessors did.

Harry put his hand on the knob, but pulled it back immediately, as a neat black script appeared on the door: _Pay Me Your Transgressions. _

"What does it mean by transgressions?"

"Your sins or wrongdoings," Hermione replied absently. "But how do we give it our sins? Are we supposed to do something wrong to get in? That doesn't make any sense – though it would explain how You-Know-Who could have gotten in."

Draco, who had remained silent all this time, now moved forward, bringing his wand to his temple. He pulled a long string of silvery mist and guided it to the door. The writing vanished and the door opened leading them into another tunnel of Rowena's passage.

"What memory did you give it?" Harry asked, as the proceeded.

"Like I'd tell you Potter," Draco scowled.

They continued in silence for a long while until they came across another road block. This one Hermione seemed almost excited about, "It's a cipher! I learned all about these in Arithmancy." With that said Hermione went to work uncovering the code and within minutes they had moved past the obstacle, continuing down the stone tunnel.

"I get that Rowena was brilliant, but can't she just give us a crossword and be done with it?" Harry asked angrily after they had walked for another ten minutes. The tunnel seemed to have heard him; a moment later the tunnel had a sharp left turn that led to a mahogany door encrusted with sapphires. Tucked in the door handled was a newspaper.

Hermione pulled it out, laughed, and then handed it to Harry, "You said you wanted a crossword." Harry looked in amazement at today's copy of the Daily Prophet. The Crossword was attached to the front page. "Let's get it done with," Hermione said. She had an excellent feeling that these doors were the entrance to wherever Rowena had decided to hide her possessions. Working together, they finished the crossword and tucked the paper back into the door handle, which opened immediately.

Once again, they group found themselves in a circular room lit with torches of everlasting fire. But the walls were also lined with built-in bookshelves stacked with books and other objects. In the centre of the room sat an elegant mahogany desk with a single book on it.

"That's it," Harry said, making a beeline for the book.

"It's a book? That's a little underwhelming isn't it?" Ron said eyeing the very average looking book in Harry's hands.

"Not the book, the book mark." Harry said pulling it out carefully and holding it by its sapphire adorned tassels.

"He just left it lying there? Is he mental?" Ron asked.

"No, he's arrogant," Harry said grinning, as he read the page the book marked. "He even left it on the page with a spell to undo a horcrux."

"Harry it could be a trap, I don't think he would be that stupid," Hermione said reaching out for the book.

"I don't think so Hermione," Harry replied, "He thought that he knew everything about Hogwarts, plus there were enough challenges just to get through Rowena's passage." Hermione took the book from his hands, but the moment it touched her it transformed into a much larger and older looking book.

"What happened?"

"The book…it just changed. I'm so sorry Harry I don't know what happened!" Hermione exclaimed. Her heart sunk as she read the passage the book opened to, it was not a simple enchantment to reverse a Horcrux. Instead she read: _This book will show only the truth. But moreover, it will only show the knowledge the reader most craves._ It was showing her the knowledge she most craved at that moment, whether or not the spell was a trap, apparently it was not.

"Let me see," Ron said grabbing the book from Hermione. The book shrank to the size of a children's novel and was titled: _How to Overcome the Food Exception to Gamp's Law of Elemental Transfiguration_. Draco snorted, and Ron answered defensively, "What I'm starving?"

Harry pulled the book back angrily ready to reprimand them, when it transformed back into the book Harry was originally reading. He paused this time to look at the title:_ From Prophecies to Privet Drive_. Harry skimmed through the content list in awe; there was a chapter on Prophecies, one on Dumbledore, the Philosopher's stone, the history of the half-blood prince, a whole section of the book was devoted to Horcruxes, followed by a single page titled _Redemption_. Harry flipped to this section, finding the spell, but he hesitated before casting it, and on a mere whim read the page on redemption. There was another spell here. Less complicated than the one to destroy a Horcrux, but more powerful by far. Harry repeated it in his head, to ensure he would remember it before drawing his wand and turning to Voldemort's Horcrux.

Without a second thought he twirled his wand and began chanting the spell. The bookmark swung dangerously, but Harry kept a firm grip on the tassels as it swung back and forth, with each swing a little bit of the dark magic came out and evaporated. When it finished a silence fell over them.

"Only one more to go," Harry said, allowing himself a moment of relief, even though the worst was yet to come.

* * *

**Just for fun: part of this chapter was inspired by a scene in Tales of Beedle the Bard. Can anyone guess what parts?**

**Coming up...**

**The source of the smoke was the forbidden forest. It was on fire.**


	25. The Battle Has Just Begun

**A/N: Here is chapter 25...and I'm also posting chapter 26 today!**

**Thanks to everyone for reading and a special thank you for the reviews: Moment4Life and Ax and Curvuto :D**

**Disclaimer: All rights to J.K. Rowling (I think I've been writing disclaimers for too long, I can't come up with anything creative to say anymore!)**

* * *

Chapter 25 – The Battle Has Just Begun

Rowena's secret room suddenly began to shake. Books fell from the shelves, and small ornaments smashed to the ground. The group tried to take cover, to avoid getting hit with falling objects. A heavy book smacked Hermione in the back of the head, and she could taste blood in her mouth from where she bit down in pain. Ron pulled Harry away from another falling book, only to bump into another shelf and send its contents scattering to the floor.

Unlike the first quake in the tunnel, the shaking did not stop this time. They could hear voices and cursing above them, signaling that the fight was going on above them. Draco tried to pull open the doors the entered through, but they would not give an inch. They were trapped.

"We need a way out," Hermione yelled in frustration, and as soon as the words left her mouth and mound of dirt cascaded from the ceiling and onto her head. She spat dirt from her mouth looking up at the opening above her. "You can't be serious," she muttered in disbelief, "we cannot get out through that tiny hole."

"I'll take climbing through a hole over a book in the face any day," Ron said, as he pushed the desk directly under the hole. Hermione sighed, but followed the boys onto the desk and out into the hole.

The passage was dark, and damp, and the perfect place for spiders. Ron kept squirming in front and every time he stopped Hermione was sure she was going to slide back down the ramp-like tunnel. Even through the dirt passage Hermione could feel the shaking from the battle above.

"I see light ahead," Ron called down, and sure enough, within a few moments he pulled himself out of the tunnel and into the library a few shelves away from where they entered.

The battle had moved into the library, or at least part of it did, there were several Death Eaters trying to take some of the younger students as hostages. It looked like mainly first years who had taken refuge in the library; some of them were screaming as curses hit them or their friends, others were cowering behind shelves or under tables, and some were foolishly, but bravely trying to fight back.

Madam Pince was single-handedly trying to help them. She was attacking the Death Eaters with a parade of floating books. Usually Hermione would have thought that sight comical, but after being hit in the head with a large, hardcover book it seemed like a good idea.

From the corner of her eye Hermione saw Draco head off to help a small girl who was corned by two death Eaters, and Ron and Harry did the same, each taking on a different Death Eater.

One first year Gryffindor managed to disarm a Death Eater coming after him, he caught the wand in shock and delight, until the Death eater launched himself at him. Hermione whipped out her wand and shot a spell at him causing him to freeze in midair and then fly backwards into a bookshelf and crumple in a head on the floor. The boy turned in surprise and almost gasped when he saw Harry coming up from behind to grab Hermione.

"It's Ha-" he began to exclaim, when Ron shoved his hand over the kids mouth.

"Dumbledore," Ron finished. The Death Eaters turned in absolute shock, sure that Albus Dumbledore could not be there, and he wasn't, but Harry, Ron and Hermione took advantage of this by stunning three of the Death Eaters square in the back.

They left the first years in the capable hands of Madam Pince who had enchanted a rope to tie up the Death Eaters and suspended them from the ceiling. The corridors were filled were older students, teachers, members of the order, and the general wizarding community all batting Death Eaters. Harry, Ron, and Hermione maneuvered between pairs of duelers.

Hermione watched as the Patil twins fought Dolohov, pushing him farther into the wall until he backed into the window and jumped. The ministry wizard who conducted Dumbledore's funeral and Bill and Fleur's wedding was hit with a killing curse by a masked Death Eater and then turned to take on Ludo Bagman who apparated with a _pop_ signaling that all of Hogwarts wards were officially down. They dashed around the corner into a quieter alcove.

"Mum! What are you doing here?" Ron exclaimed. Mrs. Weasley looked up from the boy she appeared to be smothering. It was Percy. Ron stopped in his tracks and tried to glare convincingly at his brother. Percy stepped foreward.

"I apologize for not believing you about You-Know-Who Harry, and I'm sorry I tried to ruin your friendship Ron." Harry nodded easily and shook his hand, before being tightly embraced by Mrs. Weasley.

"So you realized you were being a right pompous ass?" Ron asked. Percy nodded sheepishly before shaking hands with his youngest brother. A new wave of Death Eaters entered the corridor breaking up the family reunion, as Harry, Ron, and Hermione scurried out of the hall to continue their search for Nagini, and more importantly Voldemort.

"Are you sure he's not somewhere in the castle?" Ron panted as they rounded another corner.

"No I would have felt something if came into the castle, my scar has been hurting all day, but it would be worse if he were that close," Harry responded.

They stumbled down the stairs into the entrance hall, and with great difficulty maneuvered their way out into the grounds, where the battle was raging even more fiercely. Heavy black smoke hung in the air, making Hermione wheeze as they ran down the front steps. The source of the smoke was the forbidden forest. It was on fire.

Flames were licking the trees and branches and spreading quickly. Animals fled from the forest: centaurs, acromantula, bowtruckles and the like. They fought for neither side, but were possibly the most dangerous as they trampled over the witches and wizards below them.

"Let's go through the greenhouses," Hermione called, as she saw some Death Eaters turning their wands toward Harry. She petrified one and Ron stunned another before their bodies were ravished by angry bowtrucles. Harry took the lead, pulling Hermione and Ron behind a greenhouse. But there was no less action here. A Death Eater was levitated a large boulder towards the greenhouse roof.

"Oi," Ron yelled. The Death Eater was startled, but it was too late, and as he lost his concentration the boulder fell directly onto the greenhouse and the roof shattered drawing shrieks from within.

Neville bounded out of the greenhouse angrily, he was holding a large snakelike plant that Hermione did not know the name of. Without a second thought he hurled it at the Death Eater and he was instantly entangled in its many snapping heads. The Death Eater with him directed his wand at Neville and shot a killing curse at him. Neville dodged it and Harry rose from his hiding spot to defend him.

"No, Harry," Hermione hissed, pulling him back down, "Let me help him."

But Neville did not appear to need any help. He dodged a couple more curses and with a complex wave of his wand the other Death Eater began sprouting flowery vines from his ears, nose, and mouth.

"Nicely done Longbottom," Professor Sprout called as she tossed him a pair of earmuffs. Harry, Ron, and Hermione, came out from their hiding place making a beeline for Neville.

"Neville, that was extraordinary magic!" Hermione said beaming at him.

"Thanks Hermione," he replied, "You'd better get going, we are going to bring out the mandrakes and see what the Death Eaters think of that."

Harry, Ron, and Hermione sprinted away from the Greenhouses eager to avoid the mandrake encounter. Back in front of the castle people were flooding down the front steps and into the mayhem. It was almost impossible to duel without the chance of hitting a friend so Hermione instead made use of a shield charm, protecting both students and order members from deadly blows.

"This is ridiculous!" Harry bellowed, "We are not going to find him like this, we can't even get through." He elbowed a falling Death Eater in the face, and pushed past a pair dueling over another crumpled body.

A flood of red stormed down the castle steps, and Hermione did a double take as most of the reunited Weasley family spread out in front of the doors preventing more Death Eaters from entering. It was an encouraging sight. Mr. and Mrs. Weasley stood in the centre fiercely dueling several Death Eaters attempting to get past. Together Fred and George set off a portable quick sand trap on the right-side of the entrance, causing many Death Eaters to fall in and disappear from sight.

Meanwhile one of them had strayed from the group. Ginny was running across the field, her red hair billowing behind her, she had almost reached Harry when a heartbreaking scream rang out across the grounds. The scream echoed in the distance, and there was silence for a moment, and Ginny stopped, turning to the source of the noise. Mrs. Weasley had stopped fighting and was running to a heap on the ground, even from a distance Hermione could see the red hair and horn-rimmed glasses.

"Percy," Ron choked out, running with Ginny to the body. Hermione couldn't move, her body was frozen in place. She turned to look at Harry, he too, was in shock, his mouth hung open and his eyes shone with tears.

The silence was broken with the booming laugh of one of the Death Eaters standing on the stairs that the Weasley family had defended moments ago. "He's lucky he died painlessly, the rest of you should hope to be that lucky," he said gleefully. Fighting broke out again instantaneously, but Hermione was distracted, for at that moment Harry, Ron, Fred and George all turned to the lone Death Eater on the stairs. Harry and Ron charged in his direction through curses after curse, but in their anger none made contact. Finally, by sheer coincidence, four different spells hit him at once and the force blew him off his feet, and with a sickening crash he hit the doors behind him, his body lay there for a moment before it was trampled by a hoard of Death Eaters attempting to get out of the castle.

With the new surge of Death Eaters and no one defending the doors, the battlefield became even more vicious as people fought to get in and out of the castle. The spiders were crawling across the fields and onto the castle walls entangling anyone they crossed in webs. Hermione came to her senses and frantically searched for Harry and Ron. Percy's body had been moved and no trace of the Weasley family remained. At last, Hermione saw a streak of red darting through the crowds, and instinctively she followed it.

"Ron!" she called, but he did not stop or turn around. Hermione struggled to keep up with him, but at the last moment she was driver by fear as a large hairy leg appeared above his head. Without pausing to think, Hermione threw herself at Ron knocking them both to the ground. The spider moved on unaware of them, and crawled off towards the quidditch pitch.

"I have to get him," Ron panted and he struggled to get back on his feet, "took wand…he…Percy's-"

"What happened Ron?" Hermione asked

"Hermione!" He exclaimed, grabbing hold of her collar, "He took Percy's wand, I have to…" he was sobbing in earnest now, "I have to get his wand back."

"Ron, breath," Hermione said grabbing his hand, "We can't get it, it's gone Ron."

"You don't understand!"

"Of course I understand," Hermione responded, pulling Ron back, "But your life is worth more than a wand. We need to find Harry. The sooner we find him, the sooner we can find Voldemort, and then it will be over." Suddenly, the clouds shifted and the light of a full moon brightened the grounds of Hogwarts. Ron stopped fighting her and looked around, registering all the people fighting, and all of the bodies littering the ground.

"More people are going to die," he whispered, "It's only going to get worse."

Hermione wanted to reassure him, to tell him it was going to be okay. But at that moment they heard a terrible howl. Hermione found herself to afraid to speak, and the only thing more frightening than that howl, were the many howls that responded to it.

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**The next chapter is already up! -**


	26. For Those You Love

**A/N: Chapter 26**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing. Whenever I type 'own' I always do 'won' instead...perhaps I will somehow win the rights to Harry Potter? Probably not. **

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Chapter 26 – For Those You Love

Hermione's blood froze and she felt a tingle down her spine as the wolves' howls ceased and became snarls. They backed away from the forest and back in view of the castle doors. It seemed that Fenrir Grayback had done a successful job of infecting as many wizards as possible with lycanthropy. There was a pack of wolves already dispersing turning their heads to find possible victims. She saw one lunge but before it could attack its prey another wolf intercepted it. Hermione recognized him at once.

"It's Lupin, he must not have taken his potion tonight," Hermione whispered to Ron, as they backed away from the fight. Two more werewolves came up behind Lupin, defending the fighters from Fenrir's pack. Lupin's allies, like him, appeared to be in shabby condition. They were thin and scrawny with matted fur and looked like no matched for the burly, well-fed wolves the Death Eaters had recruited. But while those wolves were physically stronger, Lupin's team seemed to have an advantage in terms of speed and strategy.

After his initial defense, Lupin scouted out the wolf Hermione assumed was Fenrir. The other two wolves were backing the rest of the pack away from Fenrir and closer to the banks of the Lake. One of them stumbled, tumbling into the water, but the rest pushed back snapping at their opponents.

"We need to find Harry," Hermione said, finally pulling her eyes away from the wolves. Ron was looking past her, his eyes wide with fear.

"We need to get away from Fenrir and Lupin," he replied, grabbing Hermione and pulling her back to the now deserted Greenhouses. It appeared that everyone saw the werewolves fighting, and had taken refuge inside the castle. Hermione heard snarling close behind her and the beating of paws against the ground. Ron pulled her sharply to the side, dragging her to a ladder at the side of the greenhouse.

They scrambled up it just as Lupin caught up with Fenrir. With a vicious snarl, Fenfrir turned away from them and back to Lupin who clamped his jaws around Fenrir's calf. Hermione pulled herself on top of the slippery glass roof with care, and held on tightly as she peered over the edge to watch Lupin. Ron joined her and they both winced and Fenrir kicked out at Lupin's snout. He proceded to tackled Lupin, scraping his claws along his side, leaving bloody trails behind.

"Remus!" Tonks voice called urgently, Hermione turned and saw Tonks coming up the path, wand at the ready, but unaware of what she was walking into.

"Tonks! Run!" Hermione screamed as Fenrir lunged at her, exposing his sharp teeth in the process. His claws caught her arm tearing out a chunk of flesh, and her wand clattered to the ground and rolled away. Fenrir was just about to bite her when Lupin caught him by throat, sinking his teeth into Fenrir's furry neck. He refused to yield even as Fenrir thrashed about, releasing Tonks, who fell to the ground. Seeing this Hermione started to slide down the greenhouse roof.

"Hermione what are you doing?" Ron asked looking back at her.

"We have to get Tonks and get away now while they're distracted," Hermione said quietly, grabbing hold of the ladder and climbing down as quickly as possible. She ran to Tonks, and checked her pulse and breathing.

"She's alive, but she's losing a lot of blood, we have to get her back to the castle," Hermione whispered. A gurgling noise distracted her for a moment, and she looked up to see blood foaming out of Fenrir's mouth as Lupin continued to grip his throat. Hermione shuddered at the gruesome sight, but helped Ron lift Tonks and get away from the greenhouses. Just as they were entering the castle they heard the cry of a lone wolf and say Lupin run off into the forest.

The Entrance Hall was packed with duelers from in front of the castle who had escaped the wolves' fighting. Hermione and Ron pulled Tonks into a hidden alcove trying to get away from the fighting.

"We have to stop the bleeding," Hermione muttered as she pulled out her wand and attempted to slow the bleeding. After moments of work the blood slowed and Hermione tried, unsuccessfully to mend the chunk missing from her arm.

"Well, at least the bleeding is stopped," Ron said, "Let's wake her up, because we need to find Harry." Hermione nodded and once again pointed her wand at Tonks.

"Enervate." Tonks blinked slowly, and inhaled sharply when she moved her arm. She looked down, and then looked back up taking in her surroundings.

"Where's Remus?" she asked, searching her pockets anxiously, "and my wand? Where is my wand?"

"It is probably back at the greenhouses, you must have dropped it," Ron offered, "And Lupin ran off into the forest so he might be harder to find." Hermione nudged him as Tonks made a beeline for the doors. "What?"

"You shouldn't have told her that! She's still injured, and now she's going to go looking for an uncontrolled werewolf."

"She's an auror, she'll be fine. She's trained for this type of thing," Ron responded, "And I think we should request some sort of training for finding Harry, why can't he just stay put for once?"

They began searching the halls, and it wasn't long before they heard screams of terror "There's a snake in the castle," someone yelled as people began to scatter out of its path.

"Ron, isn't that…?" Hermione trailed off as the Dark Lord's slithering pet slid past them.

"Follow it," Ron whispered, grabbing Hermione's hand and pulling her in the same direction. The snake moved swiftly, making it difficult to keep up without attracting its attention, but it eventually came to a slow stop near the potions classrooms. The halls here were deserted, but they were not alone, and voices could be heard echoing from the corridor ahead. "Get behind here," Ron hissed, pulling Hermione behind a stone pillar, "It might be Death Eaters."

"Harry I am not leaving!" Ginny snapped at him angrily, and kicked a chair out of her way to emphasize the point. She paced around the empty potions classroom, shoving things out of her way. She could not believe he wanted her to leave. She understood that her mother did not want her there, but Harry knew that she was a capable witch and fighter. She spent the entire year worrying about him, and desperately hopeful that he would return for her. Tears burned her eyes, but she would not cry, and she would not abandon him. "I've already lost Percy, I can't lose you too."

"What about your family?" Harry argued back, almost hating himself for the words coming out of his mouth, "How would they feel if you...didn't make it? Just go home. You'll be safe there. They are all qualified wizards, and you're still underage-"

"Harry James Potter don't you dare tell me I am not _qualified_ to be here! I may be underage, but so were you the first time you fought him. And I would rather die fighting for the people I love, than wait at home useless and worrying," she spun around to face him, his back to the door and faltered. Her heart skipped a beat. Her blood turned to ice. She was frozen in horrification. She couldn't speak, couldn't warn Harry that there was a deadly snake poised to snap at his calf. For a single moment, she was a terrified first year unleashing a Basilisk on her classmates. She raised her wand, there was no time for hesitation now, and whispered the words she never thought she'd have to say, "Avada Kedavra."

Green light flooded the room, and as the snake crumpled to the floor, so did Ginny. All of a sudden, Ron and Hermione bounded into the room. She did not know where they came from, and could not be bothered to ask at the moment. She was a murdered. Deep down, she knew the spell was only unforgivable when used against human beings, but she still felt hollow inside. Harry recovered more quickly than she did, he adjusted his glasses and moved to crouch beside her. She caught a glimpse of his brilliant green eyes, before he took her into his arms. And she knew, she would kill much more than a snake to protect him.

Hermione felt Ron stiffen beside her as Harry embraced Ginny, and decided it was best she intervene. She coughed quietly, and they both looked up startled, like deer caught in a car's headlights. Hermione could have laughed aloud at the innocence of them in comparison to her conflict ridden relationship with Draco.

"Harry, this is his snake right?" Harry looked at the snake again, lying dead on the floor. He would recognize it anywhere, it was easily distinguishable, just like its master.

"Yes, that's Nagini," he spoke the name hesitantly, as if it would reawaken the snake coiled on the floor. Ron seemed to come to his senses then.

"What were you doing in here?" Ron demanded, eyeing them both suspiciously.

"Harry though I was incapable of helping here, and thought I should go home. Considering that I just killed You-Know-Who's snake and stopped it from killing him, I think I've proved myself enough," Ginny responded coolly. She began to leave the room, hesitated and turned back, she pressed her lips against Harry's quickly before turning away again, cheeks as bright as her hair.

Hermione waited silently until Ginny was out of earshot. Harry was smiling for the first time in days, but had to suppress his glee after receiving a particularly hostile glare from Ron. "Would you two please grow up," Hermione teased, her spirits were almost uplifted, "Ginny just killed the snake, the last Horcrux is defeated."

"Are you sure?" Harry asked suddenly looking concerned, "She didn't use Basilisk venom, or any of the other magic needed to defeat one. What if she just killed the snake, but didn't defeat the Horcrux?"

"That's why it's so dangerous to use a living thing," Hermione explained, "The Horcrux is tied to its life source, so it dies with the being that it is sheltered in."

"I hope you're right Hermione," was all he said as they passed the shriveling snake corpse on the floor. Harry stopped suddenly, clutching the door frame for support with one hand, while the other was pressed against his scar so tightly his fingers turned white. He stumbled, losing his grip on the door and almost falling to the floor, but Ron and Hermione caught him and hoisted him towards a nearby chair.

Harry began twitching, and beads of sweat rolled down his face and neck. Then, as quickly as it started it was over. Harry remained motionless on the chair, completely unconscious. Hermione and Ron looked at each other. Ron poked him hesitantly. He did not respond.

"Should we slap him?" Ron asked, "Isn't that what they do in muggle movies?"

"No don't slap him!" Hermione almost laughed, but it did give her an idea. "Sorry Harry," she said quietly before drawing her wand, "Aguamenti." Water splashed onto his face and he sat up abruptly.

"What was that for?" He coughed, choking on the water. Ron handed him a towel to dry off with.

"You were unconscious," Hermione explained, "and clutching your scar." She pasued, then asked, "Dumbledore wanted you to block out these visions, but what did you see?" She refused to admit that they were helpful, not when they had such negative effects of Harry.

"He knows that all the Horcruxes are gone. He had some kind of seizure, I think, and then he stormed around and killed some of his Death Eaters."

"Wait, where was he? In Hogsmeade? The Forest?" Asked Ron eagerly.

"He just found out his Horcruxes are defeated Roanld. Do you really think he would be looking at the scenery?"

"I don't know where he was," Harry answered, "But he was livid."

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**Ok I put so much effort into this double update, I am now too laze to give you a preview **smiles sheepishly****

**But I can tell you there are only two chapters left!**


	27. The Debts We Pay

**A/N: Hello again! Second last chapter. I'm not sure why I'm still counting down. But enjoy!**

**Thanks for the lovely review: Moment4Life and Ax **

**Disclaimer: All rights to their respective owners...namely J.K. Rowling.**

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Chapter 27 – The Debts We Pay

Hermione found herself alone in the usually peaceful grounds of Hogwarts, but it was not peaceful and she was not really alone. Battle raged around her, and Hermione was frantically searching for Harry, who had managed to maneuver away from her and Ron, she knew he was going to search for Voldemort alone,

There was a thundering crash, and Hermione turned around in shock, as a giant crushed the roof of the astronomy tower in his large fist. The debris crumbled from his hand raining down on the crown below, and the screaming and uproar reached an even higher level.

Hermione felt herself be swept up in the crowd, and they tried to take cover in the castle once again. Hermione tried to fight against them because she was sure Harry was not in the castle. The giants were trampling around the grounds now, and all were in danger of being crushed by their large feat. But Hermione paid them little attention as she made her way back to Hogsmeade, the dark mark was already up there, and she was betting Voldemort was there too.

All of a sudden a shadow passed over Hermione, at first she assumed the darkness was from some clouds covering up the full moon again, but as people scattered away in terror she looked up too late. Down came the foot, blowing an unpleasant odor with it. Hermione was about to dive out of the way when something else collided with her from behind. She hit the ground hard, whatever it was was still on top of her, and only once she tried to push it off did she notice the pain in her wrist. Using her other hand she rolled over to find Draco looking down from above her.

"Are you okay? Where have you been?" She demanded at one. He ignored both her questions, and asked one of his own instead.

"Will you marry me?" Draco asked, cool as ever. Hermione gaped at him for a moment.

"You are proposing now? We are in the middle of a war!"

"Really, that's what you're complaining about? I figured you would say we are too young," Draco laughed, pulling her off the ground to avoid getting trampled by the crowd.

"That too!" Hermione cried swatting him away as he tried to kiss her, and then stumbling over a fallen body.

"So are you rejecting me?" He called over the noise.

"What?" Hermione responded, not hearing what he said. But at that moment she caught a glimpse of glasses and black hair running to the castle and was completely distracted. In the same moment another black-haired person caught sight of Draco.

"Draco!" Draco turned automatically, but froze when he saw his aunt moving toward him with a deadly look in her eyes.

"Aunt Bella," he said as calmly as he could manage. He immediately guarded his thoughts lest she attempt to use legilimency on him. He shuddered at the thought of what his aunt would to do Hermione if she found out how he felt about her.

"You traitorous bastard," she hissed closing in on him like a vicious animal. "You and your despicable parents have brought shame on this family. Thankfully the Dark Lord is forgiving." Draco laughed at the absurdity of anyone believing that Voldemort was tolerant of any misbehavior in his subjects. He did not say that of course.

"What makes you think I want his forgiveness?" Draco said instead. Bellatrix laughed hysterically, a high pitched shrieking sound that dispersed the few people that remained near them.

"Like he would want a useless boy like you back Draco," she spat at him, "but he has put a high price on your head, and will forgive me for having such pathetic relatives once he hears of your death." She was even closer now and whipped her wand out disarming him before he could defend himself. He listened for the sound of his wand falling in the grass, but it never came.

"You foolish child," his aunt whispered. She pointed her wand at his neck and jabbed it into his adam's apple, he choked and his eyes watered at the sharp pain. "I persuaded the Dark Lord to let you join the Death Eaters early and this is how you repay me?"

"You persuaded him?" Draco gasped out, trying to think quickly of a way to escape, but he knew that she would kill him before he had the chance. He desperately wished someone would see them and come to his aid. But the only people who would help him were Snape and Hermione, or maybe Potter, and he did not want Hermione anywhere near his aunt.

"He wanted to kill you after your cowardly father ended up in jail," she spat. "So I convinced him you could be useful, but like always the Dark Lord was right, you are just as much of a coward as Lucius. Where is he now? Hiding away with no will to fight for anything." That comment struck a nerve, but Draco was forced to ignore it as Bellatrix moved her wand up to point it directly between his eyes, and clutched his upper arm tightly. Draco held his breath wondering what they best way to distract her was.

"My Lord," Draco stuttered, looking over her shoulder in terror. She was distracted, and whipped her head over her shoulder, only to see no one behind her. Draco tried to pull his arm away quickly, but her hold was too strong. She slapped him in the face, and Draco heard the noise echo across the grounds.

"That wasn't very nice," a high feminine voice said.

Draco looked around quickly to see who had spoken. The only people close enough were Loony Lovegood and Longbottom, the former was staring at Bellatrix, and the latter was staring at Luna. Bellatrix looked at her too for a moment, and then decided to ignore her, for the moment. Just as she turned back to face him, smiling like an animal cornering her prey, a green shot of light hit her in the side of the head, and she crumpled to the ground.

"Neither was that," Neville commented, eyeing the wand Luna held nervously.

"Didn't she torture your parents?" Luna asked. Neville nodded, and Luna shrugged her shoulders as if that settled everything. "I think this is yours," she called to Draco.

"Um yeah it is, thanks," he said taking it from her. He decided at that moment, even if he was switching to the 'good' side, he still would always think of her as loony.

"You know you really should take better care of your wand," she said, staring at him like he was a peculiar creature, "A bowtruckle might come after you if you don't properly honour the wood taken from its tree."

"Right, I'll do that," Draco responded, "I'm going to go now." He started to walk off in the opposite direction, when Neville called out to him.

"Hey Malfoy," he said, "Just because you're helping Harry, and rumour is you're dating Hermione, doesn't mean I'm going to like you."

"Good, I feel exactly the same way about you," Draco responded tightly. He was agitated at his assumed relationship with wonder boy Potter, and at how quickly the news of him and Hermione spread, when neither of them were telling anyone and they had not even been on a real date yet.

"And if you hurt Hermione," Neville added, "I'll do to you what your aunt did to my parents." With that ominous warning he walked back to the castle, holding hands with Luna. Though slightly anxious at the threat, Draco couldn't help but wonder if he and Hermione looked as strangely perfect together as those two looked.

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Harry was making his way to the castle determinately. His scar had prickled, then burned not too long ago, giving him all the information he needed to know. Voldemort must have entered t

he castle when Harry was searching the grounds for him.

As Harry was sprinting through the crowds, he felt the spells whizzing past his head, and ducked, diving into a giant's muddy footprint, when some Death Eater's saw him. He waited there, crouching low in the dirt, and saw Mad-Eye Moody take down Alecto Carrow. Her body fell to the ground next to her brother's. Harry leaped out of his hiding place, and continued to make his wait to the double doors leading to his fate.

He hesitated for a moment, knowing he could prolong his decision, he did not have to kill Voldemort right this minute. He could savor his life for a few more precious moments, see Ginny and Ron and Hermione one more time before his probable death. He looked around at his beloved school and home, it was a terrible sight to behold. As Harry surveyed the damage he saw not only the bodies of Death Eaters littering the ground, but also friends. He took in the bodies of Cho and Seamus, and Tom the innkeeper at the Leaky Cauldron. They risked their lives to fight, and Harry realized that every moment he prolonged fighting Voldemort more people he loved would die.

With that thought Harry made his way to the castle, anger building in every stride, for the lives Voldemort had taken. The entrance hall was even more disastrous since the last time Harry had been in it, and now most of the door leading into the great hall was gone. He expected to his scar to prickle as it usually did when Voldemort was near, but even as he came over the threshold of the castle he felt nothing.

"Potter," a voice said behind him. Harry whipped around and was face to face with Peter Pettigrew.

"Wormtail," Harry greeted, purposely using his old nickname, "what is it like being Voldemort's pet?" Pettigrew sputtered for a moment angrily. They both waited the knowledge of the life debt hanging heavily in the air.

Pettigrew pulled out his wand his wand, and just before he could cast a spell Harry intervened quickly saying, "I wouldn't do that if I were you." Pettigrew ignored him, and Harry saw a small mouse patronus disappear in the crowd, no doubt warning Voldemort of his arrival. But Harry already knew that he was waiting in Dumbeldore's office, and sitting in the headmaster's chair as if he had already won.

"See Potter," Pettigrew spat, "a life debt means nothing when the person is too weak to use it."

"I retract my life debt from Peter Pettigrew," Harry announced, as Pettigrew looked at him in shock, "on the condition that he is rightly punished for all previous actions." Harry felt the magic of the life debt lift from around them, and Pettigrew snickered gleefully turning his wand on Harry.

But at that moment, a fellow Death Eater called to him angrily, "Potter is for the Dark Lord, you stupid rat." With that he shot a killing curse, and Harry turned away as the man that betrayed his parents fell to the ground before his feet.

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Draco was making his way up to the castle, both shocked and relieved by his change in luck. He did not want to dwell on his aunt's death just yet. She was a horrible person and deserved her fate, but he had not always been good either. As Draco contemplated the shades of grey between good and evil, he did not notice the presence of pure evil invisibly approaching him, until that man, if you could call him a man, made himself visible.

Draco stumbled at the sight of the white face, and the blood red eyes that bored into his. His hands were bound, and his wand, once again, fell away uselessly. "Your aunt was one of my most faithful servants, her death shall be added to your list of charges. But for now, you will continue to do service to the lord you pledged your life to," Voldemort hissed, tracing an outline on the Dark Mark that tainted Draco's forearm. "I doubt even your shameful parents will rejoice at your newfound loyalty to Potter, but then again they probably won't have to witness it, as you will be dead soon enough." Without another word Voldemort, with Draco in tow, entered the halls of Hogwarts.

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**Preview:**

...and not for the first time, Harry wished he had tried harder to learn occlumency.


	28. Endings and Beginnings

**A/N: So I was abducted by aliens and couldn't update sooner! Just kidding, but I am sorry for the wait. But (drum roll please)...Here is the final chapter of Magic is Might! I hope you all like the ending.**

**Also if you liked this story I am working on a Dramione Marriage Law fanfiction. ****I plan to begin posting it within the next 2 months, so check out my profile if you are interested!**

**Disclaimer: For the last time - all rights to their respective owners (JK Rowling).**

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Chapter 28 – Endings and Beginnings

The doors swung shut behind Voldemort and silence filled the halls. Harry turned around in shock, from his position on the staircase. He was sure Voldemort was in Dumbledore's office, but his vision must have been a lie, just to catch him off guard. It succeeded, and not for the first time, Harry wished he had tried harder to learn occlumency.

"You ignorant child," Voldemort said quietly, but loud enough for the entire entrance hall to hear him. "Did you honestly believe you could still enter my mind without my knowledge? You are no extraordinary wizard Harry Potter. By some coincidence we have a mind connection, and that is the only power you have. That and of course love, Dumbledore's favourite 'magic' but now you have neither of those things. No mother to protect you, and you have been fooled yet again by my skills in legilimency. And now it is time to finally show the world that you cannot conquer the skills of Lord Voldemort." He raised his wand, smirking at Harry, in clear contentment of what he presumed to be an easy fight.

"Smirking doesn't suit you," Harry replied dryly, raising his wand as well. "That's Malfoy's trademark, and he's much better at is than you are." There was a murmur amongst the captivated crowd at his remark, no doubt confirming the new alliance between Draco and Harry. If possible, his smirk became even more sinister.

"And where has his smirk gotten him?" Voldemort motioned to one of his Death Eaters, who brought Draco forward, gagged and bound.

"No!" Harry recognized Hermione's voice at once, but no one paid any attention to her.

"What are you going to do Tom?" Harry asked, using his given name just to disgruntle him. "Use Malfoy as a shield, and prove yourself even more of a coward?"

"How dare you call me a coward Potter!" Voldemort yelled, throwing Malfoy in anger. He fell to the floor, and Harry watched as the bounds on his hands untied, no doubt Hermione's doing. The masked Death Eater moved forward quickly, but before he could draw his wand Hermione caught him off guard and punched him in the nose. "Enough!" Voldemort roared, and with a wave of his wand Hermione, Draco, and the circle of gathered spectators were all pushed back, leaving a small clearing at the foot of the stairs between Voldemort and Harry.

"I am no coward Potter," Voldemort hissed, regaining his calm demeanor. "I recall it was you who spent the last year running and hiding."

"But I wasn't hiding. I was searching, for something of yours actually," Harry said simply, waiting to see if Voldemort admitted that he knew his Horcruxes were defeated.

"Yes, I know you found my Horcruxes, but that is no matter. I can make more," Voldemort replied. "Now we shall duel, and prove once and for all, that you have only succeeded so far by chance."

"I don't want to fight you Tom," Harry said calmly, preparing himself for what he needed to do.

"Because you know you cannot beat me."

"No, because I am not capable of murder," Harry said. Voldemort began to laugh, almost hysterically at this revelation, but Harry pressed on. "When I was in my third year I could not stand by and watch Peter Pettigrew be killed, even though he deserved to die. Now, I'm seventeen and I still have no inclination to commit murder. That would make me no different than you. Instead I want to give you the opportunity to redeem yourself."

"Redeem myself?" Voldemort mused. "For cleansing the world of mudbloods and muggles? For killing your parents, and countless others who were embarrassments to wizardkind? For crossing magical boundaries that no other wizard has before? Why would I want to redeem myself for that?"

"Because the only reason you are alive is because your mother escaped from pure-blood supremacists like you."

"My mother was weak! What type of witch dies in childbirth? And stop avoiding the inevitable Potter. I have waited patiently all year for this moment, and it is time for you to face death like a man. That's how your father would want it, and poor Sirius," Voldemort taunted.

"Fine, then I guess it's time," Harry said. They approached each other slowly, nodded their heads stiffly in place of the traditional bow, and took up their dueling positions. Voldemort struck first, going straight for the kill.

"Avada Kedavra"

Harry dodged it, but felt the power of the spell as it made contact with the banister behind him, and sent the crumbling pieces onto the crowd below. Before Harry could collect himself, Voldemort sent another deadly green curse his way. This time Harry was too slow to react, but his wand seemed to take control for a second and purple flames surrounded Harry in a circular shield. Voldemort hesitated, startled, and Harry hurled the flames toward him still in shock himself at what his wand had done.

Voldemort stumbled back as the flames wrapped around him, but he directed them to the doors of the castle. Some magic protected them from catching fire, but they absorbed the flames nonetheless.

Harry used the distraction to recall the redemption spell from Rowena's book. It was an old spell, and Harry knew words alone would not suffice. His mind had to be free to forgive and forget the past. With a deep breath he raised his wand, cleared his mind, and began to recite the incantation.

"Dimitte Peccata," _forgive the sins_. As soon as Harry spoke the words, both he and Voldemort rose into the air. Harry tried to focus on the spell, and struggled for a moment, trying to find it in himself to forgive the murder of his parents. So he looked at the bigger picture, all the lives that could be saved if Voldemort's darkness stopped.

"Munda Anima," _Cleanse the soul_. Harry assumed this would fix the damage done to Voldemort's soul from the Horcruxes. He did not realize it would have any effect of him until a black shadow seeped out of his chest and hovered in front of him. A much larger black 'cloud' had surrounded Voldemort at his point. Voldemort looked panicked and confused through the mist. Harry paused for a moment, and then finished the spell.

"Ius Iniurias," _Right the wrongs_.

"Delenus Praeteritum," _Erase the past_. As soon as the words left Harry's mouth the black mist in front of him began to drift toward Voldemort as if it were attracted to the black cloud now completely surrounding him. The mists swirled together and wrapped Voldemort into a cyclone of dark magic, slowly unraveling all the bad he had done himself. Harry watched in anticipation, if the soul the spell was aimed at had any remorse it would purify them, if not body and soul of the victim would perish.

The entire hall was silent, except for the sound of a gusting wind as the cloud seemed to fold in on itself and disappear. Nothing was left but the many on looked, and the all consuming silence. It seemed to take a moment for relief to wash over the people, like rays of sun on a cloudy day. But eventually it did. Once every one was sure he was in fact gone, and this time for good, cheers broke out and the mass of people came together. Some began to search for family and friends, to get a better glimpse of the boy who lived, others to mourn their losses.

Harry was surrounded by admirers, but Hermione fought her way to his side with Ron and the three embraced. All glad that this adventure was over, but reassured that they all had many more to come.

As they pulled away, Ron broke their silence saying, "I'm still not part of Malfoy's fan club, but I feel like he earned in on this group hug." Harry and Hermione both laughed, but Hermione was suddenly concerned that she had not seen him since he was on the floor tied up.

"Where is he anyway?" Harry asked peering over the heads in the crown. Ron, being the tallest, craned his neck and looked around, but did not see any blondes around them.

"I'm going to look for him," Hermione said quickly, about to disappear into the crowd of people celebrating.

"Wait a second, I defeat Voldemort and all I get is a hug before you go running off to Malfoy?" Harry asked pretending to look hurt.

"Shut up Harry," Hermione said blushing. She glanced in Ron's direction to make sure he was not still mad about her relationship with Draco, but he was completely distracted with none other than Lavender Brown. For once they were immersed in discussion rather than, well other activities involving the mouth, and Hermione, though no apt judge at relationships, thought they might have potential.

Smiling she turned to point this out to Harry, but he was kissing Ginny fiercely. So Hermione continued to smile alone, but turned away feeling oddly incomplete. She searched the entrance hall, but could not find Draco anywhere. At long last she found him hidden away in the trophy room with Professor Snape. They stopped talking abruptly when they heard her enter, but Draco almost smiled when she came in and Snape nodded politely.

"Ms. Granger," he greeted her calmly. Draco hesitated then moved next to her wrapping his arm around her waist tightly, as if still afraid that he could lose her. Snape watched them in amusement, and smirked at Draco, who scowled in response.

"We were just discussing the final horcrux," Draco informed her.

"The snake?"

"No, apparently it was Potter," Draco replied, with mild disbelief in his voice.

"I've told you what I know," Snape responded, sounding more than slightly agitated, "and what Professor Dumbledore told me. When the Dark Lord first tried to killed Harry, he accidently turned him into the eighth horcrux."

"What?" Hermione asked in alarm.

"That black substance that was release from him during the redemption spell was the traces of dark magic that the horcrux left, tainting his soul," Snape explained.

"That would explain Harry's visions and connection to his mind," Hermione mused.

"You can't really believe that Potter was a horcurx?" Draco said in surprise.

"I think it's possible, considering he made his snake on as well," Hermione replied. "But to be honest, right now I am just happy it's all over."

"Quite right Ms. Granger," Snape said, "And I think if Dumbledore was here, he would suggest a feast to celebrate the occasion. I think I will ask the elves to prepare something." He headed out quickly eager to escape the awkward romantic moments sure to come. Hermione was tempted to mention S.P.E.W, but ignored the urge and turned to find Draco smirking at her. He really was quite good at it.

"How badly did you want to lecture him on house elf enslavement just now?" he asked teasingly. Hermione eloquently responded by elbowing him in the stomach. He caught her arm and pulled her against him, pressing his lips to hers. It felt surreal to Hermione, standing there with him as if the past really was behind them, as if they could look forward to a future without Voldemort. Hermione pulled away from him suddenly when she thought of the future.

"Didn't you ask me to marry you before?"

"Well I did," Draco said slowly, getting down on one knee, "but I can ask again. Hermione Granger, will you marry me?" Now Hermione was the one in disbelief. But she made up her mind quickly. She smiled at him and pulled him to his feet.

"Why don't we try going on a date first?"

The End.

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**Thank you to everyone who has read and/or reviewed this story. You are all awesome! I hope you enjoyed reading Magic is Might as much as I enjoyed writing it!**


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